The government is expected to exclude Seoul's greenbelt and Yongsan Park from new public housing sites to be announced at the end of September or early October, following the housing supply measures introduced on August 13. With no agreement reached with the Seoul city government, additional sites are likely to be selected from greenbelt areas in Gyeonggi Province, such as Hanam and Goyang, which are close to Seoul.
According to government sources on the 26th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to unveil over 73,000 new public housing units next month, which are part of the remaining supply from the August 13 measures. Kim I-tak, the first vice minister of the ministry, stated on KTV on the 24th, “The greenbelt areas in Seoul are not included.” Yongsan Park is also expected to be excluded from the announcement due to unresolved differences with the Seoul city government.
Previously, the government announced on August 13 that it would develop new housing sites for 27,200 units in three locations, including Gangseo District in Seoul and Namyangju and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province. The plan aims to designate over 73,000 additional units by the end of the year, securing more than 100,000 new public housing units in the metropolitan area.
Initially, there were expectations that the greenbelt areas in Seoul could be included in the new housing sites, as the government had designated some areas in Seoul and the metropolitan region as land transaction permission zones. There were also discussions about utilizing parts of Yongsan Park to provide housing for young people and newlyweds.
However, the Seoul city government has consistently opposed the development of both the greenbelt and Yongsan Park. They argue that the greenbelt should be preserved for future generations and that the existing plan to develop Yongsan Park as a national park must be upheld. The government appears to have concluded that it is difficult to include sites without agreement from the Seoul city government.
As a result, the additional housing sites are expected to be announced primarily in Gyeonggi Province. The areas designated as land transaction permission zones following the August 13 measures include ten cities in Gyeonggi Province—Seongnam, Uijeongbu, Anyang, Bucheon, Gwangmyeong, Goyang, Gwacheon, Guri, Hanam, and Gimpo—as well as Gyeyang District in Incheon.
Industry insiders have identified the Gambuk District in Hanam as a strong candidate for one of the new sites. Located adjacent to Songpa and Gangdong Districts in Seoul, Gambuk was designated as a housing site for about 20,000 units in 2010 but had its designation revoked in 2015 due to resident opposition and project delays. The area around Daegok Station in Goyang, known for its excellent transportation conditions, is also being considered.
The Seoul city government is proposing to utilize alternative sites instead of developing Yongsan Park. On the 25th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon suggested relocating the Tancheon Water Reclamation Center in Gangnam District and creating a “Southeast Youth-Specialized Industrial Complex” that combines residential and high-tech industrial facilities. The city estimates that utilizing about half of the 400,000 to 500,000 square meters of land for residential purposes could provide between 10,000 and 13,000 housing units.
While both the government and the Seoul city government agree on the need to expand housing supply in the city center, ongoing conflicts over the preservation of valuable land may significantly affect the actual pace of supply, depending on the selection of housing sites in Gyeonggi Province and the outcomes of discussions on alternative sites.
Meanwhile, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-deok and Mayor Oh are scheduled to meet on the morning of the 26th to discuss new housing sites and supply plans for the Seoul city center. The key issues will likely revolve around narrowing the differences regarding the development of the Seoul greenbelt and Yongsan Park, as well as whether the government will accept the Seoul city government's proposals for alternative sites, such as the Tancheon Water Reclamation Center.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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