The South Korean Government’s Housing Policy Tanks Its Approval Ratings
Even the historic Yongsan Park isn’t safe from the government’s desire for more housing.
Yongsan Park, nestled in Seoul, is best known for the National Museum of Korea. With a rich history, the park was once occupied by the U.S. 8th Army in 1953 to counter North Korea. In 1957, the United Nations Command joined the U.S. base, turning the 630-acre area into a "little America" within Seoul. However, in 1989, U.S. President George H.W.
Bush and South Korean President Roh Tae-woo decided to relocate the troops, leading to the signing of an agreement in 1989 to move the forces to Camp Humphreys. The South Korean government later allocated the land to develop Yongsan Park, specifically focusing on creating a park for leisure and relaxation. Unfortunately, the process of transferring the land has been slow, with only about 30 percent of the land handed over to South Korea.
Recently, the Lee administration proposed building housing in the children's garden section of Yongsan Park, causing controversy and anger among Seoul residents. Lee's approval rating has dropped below the 50 percent mark. The government's plan to construct new housing addresses the housing crisis and inequality in wealth, yet the proposal to develop Yongsan Park remains a contentious issue.
Written by urgent.news from The Diplomat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
