Seoul mayor rejects gov't proposal to build apartments in Yongsan Park

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon met with Land Minister Kim Yun-duk to address the government's proposal to construct apartments in Yongsan Park, but the two failed to reach an agreement. After discussing several pending issues, Oh firmly stated that the Seoul city government could not accept the plan to build apartments on the entire Yongsan Park site.

He emphasized that doing so would tarnish his legacy as an individual who betrayed the city. The government and ruling party are currently reviewing a proposal to build rental apartments for young people in Yongsan Park to boost housing supply in the capital. However, the Seoul city government opposes the plan, asserting that the park is a national asset that should remain untouched as green space for future generations.

The park, primarily situated on land formerly occupied by a U.S. military garrison, is state-owned and its usage is legally designated under a special law. Oh reiterated that Yongsan Park is intrinsically tied to the well-being and leisure of Seoul citizens and serves as a crucial element of the green axis stretching from Mount Namsan to the Han River.

He firmly rejected converting any portion of the park site into residential spaces. Instead, he proposed an alternative plan where housing could be provided using state-owned land located around Yongsan Park, such as the former site of U.S. military Camp Kim, Gyeongridan, and a foreign ministry parking lot.