Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, on the 8th directly criticized news that the government would build dwellings on the Yongsan Park site.
On this day, Oh said on his Facebook page, "I cannot help but feel deep concern as I see reports that a plan to build dwellings in Yongsan Park is being reviewed," adding, "Although it is said not to be the government's official position, the very situation in which related remarks keep coming out is causing anxiety among citizens."
Earlier, according to news reports, the government's dwelling supply plan to be announced next week was said to be considering lifting parts of Seoul's development-restricted zones (greenbelts) and converting the children's garden site within Yongsan Park into residential land. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says no decision has been made to use the Yongsan Children's Garden area for dwelling supply, but Oh continues to voice opposition to the idea.
While saying "supplying dwellings is important," Oh emphasized, "there are principles that must be kept. Tearing down even the last asset that future generations should enjoy to build apartments is not a sustainable urban policy."
He added, "Yongsan Park is not a simple idle site," and called it "the lungs of Seoul and a national asset that must be preserved for the future of Korea."
Oh said that building dwellings on the Yongsan Park site also squarely contradicts the principles of past Democratic Party governments. He said, "Former President Roh Moo-hyun called Yongsan Park a precious asset for future generations and even set a principle of not building a single structure above ground," adding, "The Moon Jae-in administration carried on this philosophy and pushed plans to develop it as a green-space-centered national park in line with the purpose of the Yongsan Park Special Act enacted in 2007."
He went on to criticize, "If the idea now emerges to build apartments in that space, it overturns the very principles and philosophy that the Democratic Party governments established."
Earlier, at a citizen town hall held on the 6th, Oh had also expressed concern about building dwellings on the Yongsan Park site. At the time, Oh made a strongly worded remark, saying, "No matter how urgent it is, you do not consume the seed grain."
Oh reiterated, "I cannot agree to damaging Yongsan Park, which belongs to future generations, even by 1 centimeter," adding, "Seoul must not be a city only for today but a city people will want to live in a hundred years from now."