Seoul, Yongsan-gu push back as government eyes entire Yongsan Park for housing

Yongsan-gu has joined the Seoul Metropolitan Government in opposing the central government's plan to consider the entire Yongsan Park as a candidate site for new housing supply. The disagreement over housing policy between the government and Seoul City Hall continues, even as Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Yun-deok and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon are set to meet Thursday to discuss solutions.

In a statement released Saturday, Yongsan-gu said it "expresses deep regret" over the minister's remarks that the government would consider not just the children's garden within Yongsan Park but the entire park as a potential housing supply site, adding that it "strongly opposes" the direction.

The district also signaled it would take a firm stand against any development that undermines the park's value and identity. "Yongsan Park is the last large-scale national park in central Seoul, returning to the public after 120 years," the statement said. "Yongsan Park — destined to become a national symbolic space embodying Korea's history and future — must not be viewed through the lens of 'is there land here that can be used for housing supply?'"

The district added that if more housing is needed, the government should first pursue options that serve both urban function and the public interest — such as accelerating reconstruction and redevelopment in existing urban areas and expanding new housing supply through improvement projects.

The pushback followed remarks by Minister Kim at a press briefing Friday marking his first anniversary in office, in which he said the government was "considering the entire Yongsan Park" when asked about plans to use the Yongsan Children's Garden for housing. The government had excluded the children's garden from its Aug. 13 real estate package's list of new housing sites, but Kim's comments suggested the review scope had actually widened, leaving open the possibility of additional supply.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also voiced immediate opposition after Kim's briefing. "Yongsan Park is not simply idle land — it is a precious national asset that must protect citizens' lives in an era of climate crisis and be passed on intact to future generations," the city said.

With the government and Seoul City Hall at an impasse over housing supply strategy, the key question is whether the two sides can narrow their differences. When Kim and Oh meet Thursday, Yongsan Park, the Yongsan International Business District and the possible use of greenbelt land are all expected to feature prominently on the agenda.

The two sides also hold sharply divergent views on greenbelt release. Kim has said the government must push ahead with supply by unlocking areas that no longer serve a genuine greenbelt function. Candidate sites being discussed include a reserve forces training ground in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu; undeveloped land in Segok and Jagok-dong, Gangnam-gu; and the area around the Suseo vehicle depot.

Oh, by contrast, has argued that "no matter how degraded a greenbelt may be, the process of winning local residents' consent is extremely difficult and lengthy," pointing to the time it would take before any housing could actually be delivered. He has instead pushed for boosting housing supply through improvement projects. The Seoul Metropolitan Government estimates it can break ground on 310,000 units by 2031, producing a net increase of 87,000 homes.