Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 26th that we should not cling only to the so-called "Yongsan impossibility theory" that "under no circumstances can homes ever be built within the Yongsan U.S. Forces return site."
The Minister said on Facebook the same day, "I hope you will approach this with an open mind, thinking of Seoul's future for young people and newlyweds."
The Minister said, "I also hope you will join with an open mind in using parts of the already damaged sites, such as officers' housing, and in the process of building public consensus on that," adding, "As a media outlet recently pointed out, 'building homes on land returned by U.S. forces' was unimaginable 20 years ago, but if this is a decision that looks ahead to the next 100 years of the Republic of Korea, we should reframe what once seemed an impossible question and look again for answers."
The Minister welcomed the position that the Seoul Metropolitan Government would consider lifting parts of development-restricted areas (greenbelts). The Minister said, "Although we ultimately did not reach an agreement, we welcome Seoul's stance that it will take a forward-leaning look at the greenbelt," and added, "I hope for more advanced discussions at our next meeting." The Minister continued, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) will also review the Tancheon site proposed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government."
The Minister stressed, "With the supply of dwellings in Seoul at a cliff in the worst of circumstances, this is a very urgent situation in which the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and both the ruling and opposition parties must join forces without distinction," adding, "At our next meeting, I hope we can move beyond our differences and cooperate for the grave goals of stabilizing housing for the public and supplying dwellings in Seoul."
However, as the Minister's post went up, the Seoul Metropolitan Government pushed back, saying, "The greenbelt review (mentioned by the Minister) was premised on the government withdrawing its policy to supply dwellings inside Yongsan Park, and was intended to mean implying that it could be considered to lift portions of already damaged greenbelt areas with low conservation value."
The Seoul Metropolitan Government added, "To ensure the government can meet its desired supply targets while preserving Yongsan Park for future generations, the city first proposed practical alternative sites such as the Tancheon Water Reclamation Center," and emphasized, "If the government lets go of its unworkable Yongsan Park push, the city is fully prepared to discuss together reasonable measures to expand Seoul's supply of dwellings, including alternative sites such as the Tancheon Water Reclamation Center and damaged greenbelts."