Yongsan Park Rental Housing Standoff... Will a 'Damaged Land Utilization' Compromise Be Reached?

Confirmation of Policy Gaps Between MOLIT and Seoul City
Additional Meeting Next Week to Seek Common Ground
Focus on Utilizing Damaged Military Facilities
Possibility of Applying the "Damaged Green Belt" Development Logic
Redevelopment

The ongoing discussion between the central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government over "rental apartments within Yongsan Park" is expected to continue into next week, drawing attention to whether a compromise can be found. Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoonduk and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated on the 20th that they only confirmed each other's divergent positions regarding the new housing supply plan within Yongsan Park but decided to continue further consultations, leaving room for potential agreement.

Since both parties view positively the utilization of damaged areas within the green belt (Development Restriction Area) as residential land, there is speculation that a similar rationale might be applied to Yongsan Park as well. This is because both the government and the city recognize the urgent need to provide affordable housing for the younger generation.

Amid differing opinions between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government regarding the utilization of housing supply development sites, it is reported that Minister Kim Yoonduk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will attempt to hold consultations with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on the 20th. The photo shows the children's garden area within Yongsan Park in Seoul. August 18, 2026. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

"Let's build apartments on damaged green space" vs "Responsibility to history"

Yongsan Park is being developed as part of a project to convert the former Yongsan land, once used as a U.S. military base, into a park and various facilities under the Yongsan Park Special Act, enacted during the Roh Moo-hyun administration. The project is still ongoing, as more than half of the land has yet to be returned by the U.S. military.

The proposal to build apartments within the park is not new. Even during discussions about the enactment of the Yongsan Park Special Act, certain ministries, including the Ministry of National Defense, argued that selling portions of the park, including the main area, was necessary to secure relocation funds. However, Seoul City and civic groups strongly opposed the development. Then President Roh insisted that no facilities other than the park itself should be built on the main park site. Ultimately, the decision was made to sell and develop only scattered peripheral sites for privatization, not the core park area. In both the Yongsan Park Special Act and the basic restoration plan set by law, the main site is designated for park use only.

Kang Byungwon, a former Democratic Party lawmaker who entered politics as a secretary to former President Roh, proposed an amendment to the Yongsan Park Special Act during the 21st National Assembly, which would have allowed residential development on the main park site. The idea was to construct apartments within Yongsan Park if policy needs required it, given Seoul’s ongoing housing supply difficulties. However, the amendment was not discussed further and was scrapped after his term expired.

The chief policy expert for the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee at the time assessed the amendment negatively, stating that it "does not align with the legislative intent of the current law" and "does not reflect the suggestions made by the public engagement panels." During his unsuccessful presidential bid in 2022, President Lee Jaemyung previously pledged to supply 100,000 youth basic housing units in areas "near" Yongsan Park. However, he did not include this pledge in last year's presidential campaign.

Status of Yongsan US Military Base and Surrounding Areas. National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee

Focus on the Rationale for Utilizing "Damaged Green Belt"

Under current laws and regulations, apartments cannot be built within the park. In accordance with the spirit of the law, even existing U.S. military structures should be demolished and replaced with park space. Nevertheless, officials at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Office of the President argue that "the idea of supplying housing in areas where the land has lost its function as green space merits consideration."

Some of the sites, such as Yongsan Children's Garden, which has already been returned and opened to the public, and the South Post, had existing buildings originally used as U.S. military support facilities. This supports the argument that, much like identifying and redeveloping damaged areas within green belts (GB) that contain greenhouses and makeshift houses, it would be better to replace these areas with fully developed apartment buildings.

As such, there is speculation that at the upcoming meeting between the minister and the mayor, which has a high chance of taking place next week, they will specifically examine the status of damaged areas and consider the feasibility of housing supply there. Even during their previous meeting, Mayor Oh repeatedly questioned these points. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport did not specify exact sites in order to avoid criticism that they had already decided on development plans and were merely feigning negotiations. Given ongoing criticism that both Seoul City and the National Assembly lack detailed understanding of the situation, it appears the central government plans to address this by conducting further site investigations and engaging in external consultations with Seoul City.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoon-duk Kim and Seoul Mayor Se-hoon Oh shake hands after discussing Seoul housing issues, including housing supply using Yongsan Park, at a restaurant in Seoul on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News

There is also a high likelihood that both parties will consider options such as the site of the Itaewon Ministry of National Defense Finance Management Corps, the nearby Ministry of Foreign Affairs parking lot, and the Bank of Korea accommodation in Huam-dong, which were suggested by Mayor Oh and People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se, examining their locations and general development plans. In addition, there is a possibility that they will use, as leverage in negotiations, the scale of housing supply within Yongsan International Business District—a matter of previous friction—as well as measures to vitalize private redevelopment projects, such as the transfer of cooperative membership status and floor area ratio benefits, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been demanding.

No clear decision has yet been made on how to collect public opinion regarding housing supply within Yongsan Park. Options being considered include holding public debates, expert roundtables, or large-scale public opinion surveys. However, in any case, such measures are expected to spark opposition. Particularly among nearby residents with direct interests at stake, resistance is expected to be strong, while supporters are relatively less vocal, making it difficult to reach consensus through public opinion gathering.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.