Shin Kye-yong, the mayor of Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province, has called for the complete withdrawal of the government's housing supply plans for the racecourse and the former spy agency site. On September 3, Mayor Shin held a press conference at the Gwacheon Citizens' Hall, urging the immediate cancellation of the government's unilateral housing supply policy.
Attendees included Mayor Shin, Hwang Sun-hee, chair of the Gwacheon City Council, Kim Hang-sik, co-chair of the civic committee, and local residents.
In a statement, Mayor Shin pointed out that the government's additional housing supply policy exceeds Gwacheon's urban capacity and financial conditions. He emphasized the need to halt housing supply plans that are being pushed forward without sufficient consultation with citizens.
He highlighted that the city has already incurred over 500 billion won in costs for infrastructure expansion, including the construction of a new station, administrative welfare center, cultural and sports facilities, and libraries as part of the Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town project.
With large-scale development projects in progress, such as the Gwacheon and Juam districts, he expressed concerns that additional housing supply would further increase the financial burden related to transportation, education, welfare, environment, and public facilities.
Mayor Shin reiterated that Gwacheon has already accommodated a significant amount of housing supply under past government policies.
According to Mayor Shin, conflicts arose in the community regarding housing supply on the idle land of the Gwacheon government complex following the announcement of the metropolitan area housing supply expansion plan on August 4, 2020. The supply volume for the Gwacheon district increased from the initial 7,000 units to over 10,000 units, with an additional 1,000 units planned for the Galhyeon district.
He argued that adding approximately 9,800 units at the racecourse and spy agency sites would constitute excessive development beyond Gwacheon's urban capacity. He stressed that before expanding new housing supply, the government must ensure the completion of promised transportation and living infrastructure for the four ongoing public housing projects.
He also raised concerns that the government has not adequately fulfilled commitments made during the relocation of government offices to enhance self-sufficiency and support urban development. He emphasized that the burdens of national housing supply policies should not be repeatedly shifted onto Gwacheon and its citizens.
Mayor Shin firmly opposed the development of the racecourse area, stating that it should be viewed as a green space and recreational area valued by both Gwacheon residents and citizens of the metropolitan area, rather than simply as land for development.
He outlined five demands to the government: 1) complete withdrawal of the housing supply plans for the racecourse and spy agency sites, 2) cessation of unilateral housing supply policies that do not consider Gwacheon's urban capacity and financial conditions, 3) implementation of self-sufficiency enhancement and urban development support measures, 4) halt to indiscriminate greenbelt development.
The press conference concluded with a performance featuring a song titled 'Beautiful Gwacheon,' symbolizing the solidarity and hope of Gwacheon citizens.
Concerns about additional housing supply were echoed among attendees. One citizen remarked, 'Gwacheon has already accepted large-scale development projects, and there are many issues to resolve regarding transportation, schools, and living infrastructure. We need to properly establish the infrastructure for existing projects first.' Another citizen stated, 'It's not that I oppose building more houses, but the unilateral supply method disregards Gwacheon's scale and environment. The government should listen to citizens' opinions and discuss the city's future together.' A resident near the racecourse added, 'The area around the racecourse should not be viewed merely as land for development but as green space and a recreational area enjoyed by both Gwacheon and metropolitan citizens, warranting a reconsideration of development plans.'
Mayor Shin stated that if the government ignores Gwacheon's demands and pushes forward with its policies, he will respond firmly. He added, 'If the government disregards our requests and enforces its policies, we will actively respond using all means permitted by law and regulations to protect Gwacheon's urban competitiveness, the lives of its citizens, and the environment for future generations.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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