Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-duk and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon are set to meet again this week to discuss expanding housing supply in Seoul. This time, they are expected to seek common ground regarding the use of public land around the park and the easing of regulations on private redevelopment projects. Notably, Camp Kim and other scattered sites near Yongsan Park have emerged as potential compromises.
According to government and city officials on August 23, the two leaders plan to reconvene this week to address housing supply issues, including Yongsan Park. The specific date for the meeting is still being coordinated.
Previously, they met for about an hour on August 20, but only confirmed their differing positions on the contentious issue of housing supply utilizing Yongsan Park.
Minister Kim has expressed that rather than developing the entire Yongsan Park, housing could be supplied for young people, newlyweds, and multi-child families by utilizing already damaged or developed areas within the park.
After the last meeting, Kim stated, "The key issues are the discussions and attitudes regarding the process of changing laws to supply housing for young people, newlyweds, and multi-child families in parts of Yongsan Park. There was a clear difference of opinion with Mayor Oh. He is fundamentally opposed, while I am in favor."
He cited existing residential facilities, such as officer quarters, as examples, asserting that protecting Yongsan Park and supplying housing to young families are not mutually exclusive.
In contrast, Mayor Oh is firmly against converting any part of Yongsan Park into residential land. Recently, he reiterated that he cannot concede even "one centimeter" of the park. The city argues that areas the government describes as 'damaged land' are designated as 'future park land' for long-term development.
Looking Beyond the Park: Alternatives Like Camp Kim
During this second meeting, there is speculation that they may first seek common ground on surrounding areas rather than the park itself.
The city has proposed several sites around Yongsan Park, including Camp Kim and the U.S. military transport unit, which together cover approximately 180,000 square meters. Unlike the main park, these areas can be developed for mixed residential, commercial, and office use.
The most concrete project is Camp Kim. The government plans to supply 2,500 housing units there as part of its January 29 supply plan. Camp Kim was returned by the U.S. military in 2020, but the project is currently underway with a goal of starting construction in 2029 after soil contamination cleanup and cultural heritage assessments.
Additionally, the city has suggested other potential housing supply sites, including the Army Finance Management Command site in Itaewon (about 33,000 square meters), a parking lot for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (about 4,000 square meters), and a Bank of Korea residence in Huam-dong (about 4,300 square meters).
The aim is to supply housing to young people and newlyweds by utilizing public land in downtown Seoul without touching the main Yongsan Park.
However, there are limitations, as these sites alone may not provide the large-scale housing supply the government hopes for. Some scattered sites have already been sold or are under other development projects, and the individual site sizes are smaller than those of the main park.
This is why the government has not completely ruled out the possibility of utilizing parts of Yongsan Park. The Ministry of Land has stated that no specific housing construction sites or supply volumes have been determined yet and that they will engage in a deliberative process to gather public opinion.
There are also discussions about forming forums or public committees to jointly address the need for housing supply and the value of park preservation.
More Than Just Yongsan: Package Negotiations on Floor Area Ratio and International Business District
In this meeting, discussions are expected to extend beyond Yongsan Park to include the Yongsan International Business District and regulations on floor area ratios for private redevelopment and reconstruction.
Seoul City is advocating for further relaxation of floor area ratio regulations. While the government is expanding incentives for public redevelopment projects, the city argues that similar benefits are necessary for private redevelopment projects to increase actual supply rates in Seoul.
During the last meeting, Minister Kim acknowledged concerns that easing floor area ratios for private redevelopment could stimulate real estate prices but indicated a willingness to consider it positively.
The backdrop for this is the potential for the government to accept supply plans that the city can accommodate around Yongsan Park, while the city may receive some response from the government regarding the easing of regulations on private redevelopment projects.
The housing scale for the Yongsan International Business District is also a challenge to address. The government is seeking to supply 10,000 housing units in the international business district, but the city is willing to accept only about 8,000 units, citing concerns about the impact on business and international functions.
One official noted, "This meeting is not just about deciding whether to build houses in Yongsan Park. It will be a negotiation to find practical points of agreement for housing supply in Seoul."
He added, "The government urgently needs cooperation with the city, and the city finds it difficult to accelerate the development of public land without the government's support. Even if both sides maintain their positions on Yongsan Park, they need to reach an agreement on other supply options."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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