Yongsan-gu in Seoul has come out firmly against the government's reported plan to pursue housing supply within the Yongsan Park area.
The district released an official statement Thursday saying that "Yongsan Park is not simply a developable site but a national asset embodying the historical significance, symbolic value and public character of the Republic of Korea," and that "approaching it through the logic of housing supply without sufficient social debate and national consensus would undermine the original purpose of the park's development and its value as a national asset."
The district said Yongsan Park must be developed as a national park for all citizens.
It noted that the Special Act on the Creation of Yongsan Park stipulates that the main site of the former US military base be developed as a park, and prohibits any change of use or disposal of the land for non-park purposes.
"This makes it clear that Yongsan Park is not developable residential land but a national public asset," the district said.
It added that "raising the development density of the park or significantly expanding its residential function in the name of securing short-term housing supply would diminish its public character and undermine the value of a national asset that must be passed on intact to future generations."
The district also said the park's long-term competitiveness lies not in the scale of housing it can supply, but in completing a dignified national landmark where history, culture and ecology come together.
Yongsan-gu said the question of how to develop Yongsan Park is a matter of such consequence that it could shape the country's next 100 years, and the government must not decide it unilaterally. The district called for the policy direction to be set only after thorough discussion and the formation of broad social consensus, with the participation of the government, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yongsan-gu, local residents and experts.
"We will continue to actively consult with the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to protect the public character and intrinsic value of Yongsan Park," a district official said. "We will do our utmost to ensure that the wishes of our residents are fully reflected in the policy-making process."
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