Yongsan Park needs consensus, not political tug of war
The future of Seoul’s urban park in Yongsan District, previously used as a U.S. military base, has sparked a debate over the preservation and use of urban space. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has maintained its support for the initial plan to transform the roughly 3-square-kilometer Yongsan Garrison into a green urban space for citizens. Meanwhile, the Lee Jae Myung administration is pushing…
Seoul's Yongsan Park, once a U.S. military base, is at the center of a contentious debate over how best to utilize the 3-square-kilometer area. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has pledged its backing to the original proposal to convert the former military site into a sprawling green park for all citizens to enjoy. However, the Lee Jae Myung administration is advocating for allocating a portion of the land to provide affordable housing for young professionals, newlyweds, and working-class families who are struggling to find suitable dwellings due to the city's acute housing shortage.
Recent negotiations between officials from both the central and local governments aimed to bridge the gap between these competing visions, but discussions ended without a resolution. Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Land Minister Kim Yun-duk are set to reconvene this week in hopes of finding common ground. Regrettably, Mayor Oh's staunch opposition to the idea of integrating affordable housing within the park appears to be a significant stumbling block.
The mayor has vocally criticized the proposal, asserting that acquiescing to the land ministry's plan would be a grave mistake.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Yongsan Park needs consensus, not political tug of war koreatimes.co.kr
