Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 26th that the more than 73,000 new public housing sites the government will announce between late September and early October will not include Seoul's development-restricted areas (green belt) or Yongsan Park. The new sites will be selected only in Gyeonggi Province. The government will receive materials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and review the proposal to supply dwellings at the Tancheon Water Reuse Center site in Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, which the city suggested as an alternative to Yongsan Park.
Before meeting Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in Jung-gu, Seoul, that day, the Minister met with reporters and said, "Yongsan Park was never part of the plan to supply 73,000 households," adding, "We can supply as originally planned even if we exclude Seoul's green belt and Yongsan Park."
In its Aug. 13 dwellings supply measures, the government announced it would create new public housing sites with capacity for 27,200 households in three locations, including Gangseo-gu in Seoul and Namyangju and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province. It will then unveil more than 73,000 additional households between late September and early October, securing a total of more than 100,000 new public housing households in the greater Seoul area.
When asked whether the newly announced sites to be added would be only in Gyeonggi Province, the Minister replied, "I will speak after we have discussed it." Although no specific candidate sites were disclosed, green belt areas in Gyeonggi close to Seoul, such as Gambuuk in Hanam and Daegok in Goyang, are being discussed as candidates.
Regarding the proposal by Mayor Oh to supply dwellings at the Tancheon Water Reuse Center as an alternative to Yongsan Park, the Minister said the plan would be reviewed. The Minister said, "We have not yet received materials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government," adding, "It is premature to say it will or will not work without seeing the materials. I plan to meet Mayor Oh today to review it."
Mayor Oh proposed that, after transferring the Tancheon Water Reuse Center, a mixed-use development of the site with youth dwellings and research and development facilities could supply at least 10,000 to as many as 13,000 households. However, because transferring the center and constructing dwellings will require significant time, consultations between the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government and a feasibility review are needed before actual supply.