Ha Joon-kyung, the Senior Economic Advisor to the Blue House, spoke about the government’s initiative to transform Yongsan Park in Seoul into a site for substantial residential development, noting, “It is uncommon worldwide to set aside such a massive area exclusively as a park. There are numerous security concerns and societal expenses, so it is essential to explore the most effective way to use this land.”
She made these comments during a TV Chosun broadcast, highlighting that the size of Yongsan Park is larger than the area enclosed by Yeouido’s embankment. The government is exploring the development of a major rental housing complex aimed at younger generations in the Yongsan Park region.
Ha noted, “A park becomes meaningful when it is frequently used by many people. When I go to Yongsan Children’s Garden, there are very few visitors.” He added, “It is much smaller than Seoul Children’s Grand Park. I think this valuable land should be used efficiently.” He continued, “Viewing it as a public resource, we want to make it available for young people to use for marriage and having children.”
Ha also discussed pollution problems at the site, which needs cleanup after more than a century of use by Japanese and U.S. military forces. He stated, “Even if we wanted to build something like Central Park, removing contaminants is a difficulty. Cleanup costs vary from hundreds of billions to trillions of won.”
He stated, “If we convert it into a park, it would demand significant financial resources, which no government would readily allocate. However, if we utilize the land for residential purposes, we can dig up the soil, move it to another location, and clean it.” This suggests that financing the cleanup is possible for housing projects but not exclusively for building a park.
To develop housing within Yongsan Park, the Special Act for the Establishment of Yongsan Park, passed in 2007 during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, needs to be revised. The governing party backs the amendment, whereas the opposition views it as a “contradiction of the Democratic Party government.”
In terms of legal changes, Ha proposed, “We might think about including a provision to facilitate growth.” He mentioned, “The housing conditions in Seoul 20 years back are quite different from now, as are property prices. For major public interest, some could be excluded after discussion.”
The authorities are working to develop the Yongsan Park region in response to the shortage of housing. They are examining proposals for a major rental housing project aimed at young individuals in Yongsan Children’s Garden. Although there is resistance from Seoul City, Yongsan District, and nearby residents, the government plans to move forward by addressing public concerns through a discussion process.
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