Oct. 14 at 12 p.m., Marronnier Park in Dongsung-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. A homeless person who had been half-lying under a tree woke from sleep, pulled out a bottle of makgeolli, and took sips. Around him, half-finished soy milk bottles and empty makgeolli bottles were scattered, and under the tree across from him, dozens of plastic bags of unknown contents were piled up. After finishing the makgeolli, the person soon urinated into a plastic cup and began sprinkling it on a flower bed. The person ignored passersby's gazes. A public restroom was only a 40-meter walk from where the homeless people were, but it was not used.
◇ After begging passersby for makgeolli, "Thank you, hyung"
Marronnier Park is a space that represents Daehak-ro culture. It was created on the site where Seoul National University's College of Liberal Arts and College of Law were transferred to the Gwanak campus. In 1981, Arko Art Center opened, and dozens of small theaters sprang up nearby.
This Marronnier Park is suffering from illegal acts by homeless people. They started coming about 10 years ago. For about the past five years, four to five homeless people have been coming to Marronnier Park to drink, smoke, urinate in public, and beg. Since last year, 10 civil complaints have been filed saying they are inconvenienced by homeless people in Marronnier Park.
Homeless people in Marronnier Park are causing inconvenience not only to nearby merchants but also to ordinary passersby. Around 1 p.m. on Oct. 14, two homeless people sitting on a park bench smoked and shared makgeolli while talking to passersby.
One homeless person begged passersby and managed to get a bottle of makgeolli. After saying, "Thank you, hyung," the person shared it with another homeless person. When a passerby, thinking the pile of belongings was trash, threw away a disposable cup that had held coffee, the person cursed, saying, "Hey, take your XX with you."
There were also students in one corner of the park on a field trip, and when the homeless people took out cigarettes, they moved away. A person surnamed Choi, 55, who was watching nearby, said, "Marronnier Park is a smoke-free zone throughout. But homeless people always ignore that and smoke."
A manager of a nearby building said, "It's not just that they start drinking in the morning; the begging and urinating in public make things difficult in more ways than one." A person surnamed Jang, 67, who has been running a business near the park for 20 years, also said, "They often drink from midday, shout, and approach customers to talk," adding, "Customers have gradually stopped coming to the park, hurting business."
◇ Roughly 40 homeless people in Seoul for whom "the park is home"… five are in Marronnier Park
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, there were 1,349 "street homeless people" who live and sleep on the streets as of last year, and 55% (742 people) live in Seoul. Among them, 412 do not use homeless facilities. They live in underground spaces (21.3%), inside buildings (20.1%), streets and squares (16.8%), and parks and green spaces (9.1%). The number of street homeless people living in parks is estimated at around 40, of whom five are staying in Marronnier Park.
The problem is that Marronnier Park is not an ordinary park. Busking performances are frequently held, drawing audiences, and it is also a passageway for audiences going to and from nearby small theaters. A nearby merchant said, "When events are held in Marronnier Park, there are concerns it's dangerous with homeless people right next to them, but we cannot even ask them to move elsewhere for a while."
Residents on the Naksan Park side also find it quicker to cut through Marronnier Park when heading to the subway. However, a nearby resident, a person surnamed Lee, 23, said, "The homeless people keep shouting while drunk, so even if it's farther, I've been avoiding Marronnier Park and going around for years."
Although the problem has continued for years, it is not easy to solve. Under the Homeless Welfare Act, homeless people cannot be forced to move or be required to enter facilities. Jongno District took one homeless person home in June, but the person returned to the park the next day.
It is also practically difficult to install facilities to prevent homeless people from staying in the park. The Marronnier Park site is divided between ownership by Jongno District and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Homeless people move back and forth between the two zones. Jongno District said, "We considered installing armrests to prevent lying on benches, but because the site is owned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, we had no authority to install them." The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Jongno District has never requested consultations on this issue.
An official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said, "If homeless people in Marronnier Park engage in inappropriate behavior and measures are needed, we will consult with the Korean National Police Agency and the Jongno District Office to maintain public order."