"Children Love This Place"... Yongsan Park Crowded Amid Housing Supply Debate

Debate Intensifies Over Yongsan Park Development
Government: "Utilize Degraded Land" vs. Seoul City: "Preserve Green Space"
Residents Weigh View Rights, Rental Housing, and Project Feasibility

"I came here because the news has been so loud about this issue, and seeing it in person, it's truly a shame for this green space to disappear."

On the afternoon of the 23rd, Yena Kang (38), who was visiting Yongsan Children's Garden in Yongsan-gu, Seoul with her family, explained the reason for their visit this way. Across the 300,000-square-meter lawn—which is roughly the size of 42 soccer fields—children were running around chasing soap bubbles. At the shuttle bus stop beside the Comprehensive Information Center, a long line of visitors was waiting.

The peaceful scene inside the park was in stark contrast to the atmosphere outside its fence. In front of the park entrance, about 80 condolence wreaths with messages such as "Do not take away children's green space" were lined up to protest residential development. A park official stated, "Since last week, when the government announced the possibility of residential development, weekend visitor numbers have increased."

On the afternoon of the 23rd, children are playing on the lawn at Yongsan Children's Garden in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hosu Park

As the government reviews a plan to use Seoul's Yongsan Children's Garden as public housing for young people and newlyweds, controversy over the site's development is intensifying. There is a growing conflict between those who argue that housing supply in the city center is necessary and those who fiercely oppose the destruction of large-scale green space that has been created as a national park.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on August 24, the Yongsan Park Creation Special Act, enacted in 2007, stipulates that the site should be preserved as much as possible and maintained as a space for leisure, relaxation, and natural ecology, while allowing for the adjacent areas to be developed as complex facility zones. The government’s stance is to utilize sites that already contain buildings or have lost their green space function as housing supply candidates. Former military officers' residences and the former Defense Acquisition Program Administration site have been mentioned as possible locations.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government maintains that these sites, as they are included in the main area that must be created as a park according to the special act, should not be used for housing supply. The amendment to the special act scheduled for consideration at the National Assembly on August 26 only eases the criteria for securing parks and green spaces on scattered plots, and does not contain provisions to convert main areas into housing land.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, citizens visiting the park were waiting for the shuttle bus at the shuttle bus stop near the Yongsan Children's Garden Comprehensive Information Center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hosoo Park

While the government has said it intends to build rental housing only on land where park and green space functions have been lost, residents' opinions remain divided. Byeonggap Park (65), who has lived in Seobinggo-dong for over 40 years, said, "With such a severe housing shortage in Seoul, building homes in a prime location is a rational choice." Mr. Choi, a resident of Ichon-dong (54), countered, "They went so far as to enact a special law to prevent this site from being used for other purposes, and now they are trying to break this principle without any clear consensus. Traffic is already a major issue, and if a housing complex is built, it will bring total paralysis."

There are also analyses suggesting that, behind some residents' arguments for green space preservation, concerns about losing their view, declines in property values, and aversion to rental housing all play a role. A nearby real estate agent pointed out, "There are worries that the view premium, which strongly influences sale prices in the area, may disappear." Another real estate professional added, "If the government had announced plans for high-end private brand apartments, the response would have been different. Resistance is partly driven by apprehension about introducing rental complexes into an upscale residential area."

At the entrance of Yongsan Children's Garden in Yongsan District, Seoul, condolence wreaths protesting against residential development are lined up. Photo by Ho-Soo Park

Some experts are expressing skepticism about the feasibility of the project. Professor Jungrae Seo of the Real Estate Department at Youngsan University noted, "Since the Yongsan Park site was long used by the U.S. military, a significant budget will inevitably be required for soil remediation. If these costs and park development expenses are reflected in higher sale prices or rents, the government's original aim of affordable housing for young people and newlyweds could be undermined."

Professor Kangrae Ma of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Urban Planning and Real Estate commented, "The area around Yongsan Park has limited road expandability, and if you also factor in the development of nearby sites such as Yongsan Maintenance Depot and Camp Kim, it’s questionable whether the transportation capacity will be sufficient. Before pursuing large-scale housing supply, the local transportation infrastructure needs thorough examination," he emphasized.

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