Land minister says housing at Yongsan Park will be limited to nonfunctional sites
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk clarified that the government would only construct housing on land in Yongsan Park that no longer serves as green space, such as military apartments and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration site.
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk answers questions from lawmakers during a plenary meeting of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Aug. 19.NEWS1
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk said on Wednesday that the government’s proposal to construct housing at Yongsan Park does not involve developing the entire park but rather using certainareas that no longer serve their purpose as urban green spaces.
Kim made the remarks during a plenary meeting of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee.
“We are absolutely not talking about clearing all [of Yongsan Park] to build housing there,” he said in response to questions about the government’s proposal. “We would examine whether housing, particularly for young people, could be supplied on a limited basis in areas that have already lost some of their function as […] a green space.”
In other words, the plan would focus on identifying specific sites within theparksuitable for development.
Kim pointed to officers’ quarters, military apartments and the site of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration as areas that have “already completely lost their function as green spaces.”
He also stated that any housing development would proceed only after deliberation and public consultation.
“We would gather opinions through a process of deliberation and public consultation on areas where housing construction is possible,” Kim said. “The ministry believes that [such sites] should be used to provide housing for young people, newlyweds and others.”
He added that plans to use development restriction zones, commonly known as greenbelts, for housing would also adhere to the same principle.
“We are not talking about developing green areas that need to be preserved,” he said. “The idea is to focus on land that has already lost its value […] due to damage and use it to house young people.”
The Yongsan Park area in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Aug. 19NEWS1
The central and Seoul governments have reportedly reached a broad agreement on the need for public youth housing and are now debating the exact number of units and which sites to use.
During the plenary meeting, Rep. Kim Nam-geun of the Democratic Party (DP) asked, “Does Seoul have no objection to the supply idea itself, and is the discussion now just over whether to supply 6,000, 8,000 or 10,000 units?”
The minister confirmed that was the case.
He also reaffirmed the government’s plan to make fuller use of available land in central Seoul to expand housing supply for young people.
Opposition lawmakers, however, raised concerns and objections to the greenbelt proposal during the meeting.
“The Special Act on the Creation of Yongsan Park, enacted under the late President Roh Moo-hyun in July 2007, stipulates that the entire site be developed into [a park] and prohibits changing its purpose for reasons other than […] selling it,” Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the People Power Party (PPP) said. “That principle should come first. If this is really for the future generation, why would you arbitrarily reduce the park […] that they are supposed to enjoy?”
Fellow PPP Rep. Kim Jung-jae similarly argued that the special act was meant to preserve the entire site as a park regardless of changes in administration.
A pedestrian looks at rows of funeral wreaths outside the entrance to Yongsan Children’s Park in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Aug. 9. The funeral wreaths were placed in protest of the government’s Yongsan Park housing development plan.NEWS1
“The reason that the [Roh] administration enacted the special law was to prevent housing from being built there,” Rep. Kim Jung-jae said. “It requires that the entire site be developed into Yongsan Park regardless of which administration is in power.”
Fellow PPP Rep. Shin Sung-bum then pointed to the level of public opposition to related legislation — which would amend the special act to allow houses to be built on Yongsan Park — pending at the National Assembly.
“More than 3,000 comments opposing the bill have been posted on the National Assembly website,” Shin said. “That shows how anxious the public is.”
He argued that the government’s priority should instead be easing restrictions on private reconstruction and redevelopment projects in Seoul to boost housing supply.
DP lawmakers pushed back.
“If homes are sold through the reconstruction and redevelopment projects advocated by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, prices in Seoul generally exceed 1 billion won [$717,000], with some approaching 2 billion won,” DP Rep. Cho In-cheul said. “Homes at those prices are difficult to provide to young people.”
Rep. Kim Nam-geun of the DP also defended the proposal, saying, “The government intends to provide housing that young people can afford on publicly owned land.”
BY JEONG JAE-HONG, BAEK MIN-JUNG [kim.hayoon1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
