Residents are mounting strong opposition over the plan to develop damaged land in Yeomchang Neighborhood Park in Gangseo District, announced as the only new public housing site in Seoul under the government's Aug. 13 housing supply measures. Gangseo District was set to hold a briefing for residents on the 11th, but when the notice went out only four days before the event, residents pushed back, calling it a "hastily arranged briefing lacking preparation to gather opinions."
According to Gangseo District on the 9th, the district will hold a resident briefing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the 11th at the Yeomgyeong Middle School gym on the designation of the Yeomchang Neighborhood Park damaged land as a public housing district. It plans to explain to Yeomchang-dong residents the background of the project, the direction of public housing supply, transportation measures, and plans to secure infrastructure and social overhead capital (SOC).
The damaged land in Yeomchang Neighborhood Park is the only new public housing site in Seoul for which the government disclosed a specific location through the Aug. 13 measures. The government plans to supply 1,000 public housing units on 50,711 square meters of damaged land, excluding forest, out of the park's total 111,769.4 square meters. Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) will implement the project, with a goal to break ground in 2029.
A private park development project had been pursued on the site since 1990, but as the developer failed to build resident convenience facilities initially planned—such as a cultural center and a youth center—the project drifted for a long period. Gangseo District canceled the implementation plan approval in 2006 and halted operation of the golf driving range in 2009. Since then, it has been left in a damaged state with construction machinery and work vehicles parked there.
While building public housing, Gangseo District plans to create an open green space consolidated with the existing park so that residents and new occupants can use it together. It also plans to prepare transportation and pedestrian measures to resolve problems of narrow roads and a lack of infrastructure.
Some residents are taking issue with the fact that the notice to hold the briefing was given only on the 7th. They say there was not enough time to review project materials in advance or gather resident opinions, raising concern it could become a one-way session for the government and the district office to deliver their plans rather than to gather substantive feedback.
A notice distributed by residents said, "Gangseo District Office informed us of the schedule only four days before the briefing and did not provide any prior materials," adding, "A briefing not premised on withdrawing public housing is unnecessary." They are also reportedly considering a picket protest against the construction of public housing on the day of the briefing.
Residents argue that, since the site had been planned as a park for decades, it should be restored as a park rather than converted into residential land. In particular, they take issue with the fact that, ahead of the 2020 general election, local politicians said they would develop the damaged land into a park and resident convenience facilities, but a public housing supply plan was later announced without sufficient input-gathering.
There are also strong concerns about traffic congestion. Although housing is dense near Yeomchang Park, the roads are narrow and pedestrian space is lacking. Residents argue that if 1,000 more households are added, rush-hour traffic congestion and safety issues on children's school routes could worsen.
The damaged land in Yeomchang Neighborhood Park is expected to be finally designated as a public housing district after hearing resident opinions and deliberation by the Central Urban Planning Committee. Whether specific transportation and infrastructure measures will be presented at this briefing, and whether resident opposition can be eased, is expected to be the first major hurdle for pushing the project forward.