At the entrance of Yongsan Children's Garden, a series of wreaths opposing the government's housing supply proposal were displayed, with messages such as, "Once destroyed, it cannot be restored," "Children's parks are for children," and "Damaging Yongsan Park robs future generations of their rights."
On the afternoon of August 9, families were seen visiting the garden. Despite the hot weather, parents with umbrellas held their children's hands while kids ran around the grassy areas, seemingly oblivious to the heat.
One parent carrying a child remarked, "It’s hot, but there’s a café, and it’s a great place for kids to play freely, so I think it’s worth coming here." A woman in her twenties, visiting for the first time, said, "I came because it’s famous on Instagram. It’s surprising to find such a space in downtown Seoul."
A representative from Yongsan Park stated, "We are generally opposed to the government's housing supply proposal," adding, "It seems that many visitors come here because it is a space where citizens can enjoy nature for free in the city." However, he noted that some residents are concerned about a potential drop in property values if apartments are built, as rental housing supply would be necessary.
As Yongsan Children's Garden, a space utilized for public relaxation, has been mentioned as a candidate for housing supply, it has become a focal point of controversy. The government is reportedly considering using urban idle land and military facilities in its upcoming housing supply measures, with Yongsan Children's Garden being one of the potential sites.
Yongsan Children's Garden is part of the approximately 3 million square meters of land returned by the U.S. military, with about 300,000 square meters temporarily opened to the public since 2023. This area is roughly the size of 42 soccer fields. Last month, a restricted protection zone of 137,000 square meters surrounding the children's garden was lifted, prompting the government to explore the possibility of utilizing the site for housing.
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol mentioned that the government is reviewing options such as lifting greenbelt restrictions and utilizing military facilities in relation to housing supply measures. In a situation where securing large-scale supply sites in urban areas is challenging, utilizing military bases and public land near Seoul has emerged as a key strategy.
However, the Seoul city government has clearly opposed housing supply in the Yongsan Children's Garden area. Earlier, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated at a public forum on real estate normalization on August 6, "Yongsan Park is a space that the government and Seoul City must responsibly preserve for future generations," emphasizing that even a portion should not be used for housing supply. Yongsan District also maintains that the park should be developed according to the original plan.
Experts have also pointed out that utilizing Yongsan Children's Garden for housing supply may not be effective. Kim In-man, a director, stated, "Building apartments in Yongsan Children's Garden will not easily resolve the housing supply issue," arguing that it is better to keep this green space in the center of Seoul as a park. He suggested that reviewing options to increase housing supply by raising the floor area ratio in areas already under development and expanding transportation networks could be more efficient.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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