Politics · South Korea · 3 hrs ago
Yongsan chief opposes housing on park land and sets out city plans
Yongsan District chief Kim Gyeong-dae wants to reshape the Seoul district through urban design and says development and safety will guide his plans.
He says older neighborhoods need improvement and wants a new district department for urban design; two other proposed departments for development and disaster safety could begin work on January 1 if the district council approves the relevant rules.
Kim opposes building homes in Yongsan Park, a large central green space, and says it should instead be developed as a national garden.
He says local officials and residents have not been consulted about the government’s housing proposals, which he believes need wider public discussion.
Ahead of Halloween and the fourth anniversary of the October 29 Itaewon disaster, the district is preparing safety plans with police and fire officials and will continue inspections.
Kim also wants Itaewon’s everyday life and businesses to recover while keeping public safety central.
Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae said he opposes building housing on land in Yongsan Park.
He said any housing plan requires broad public discussion and that local government and residents had not been consulted.
Kim argued that discussion should focus on developing the site as a national garden, not on where to build homes.
He also outlined plans to improve the district through urban design, development and safety measures.
Ahead of Halloween and the fourth anniversary of the Itaewon disaster, he said the district would work on safety while supporting Itaewon’s recovery.
- Who
- Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae.
- What
- He opposed housing on Yongsan Park land and outlined plans for urban design, development and safety.
- When
- He spoke in an interview on Oct. 13, marking 100 days in office. The interview was published on Oct. 17, 2026.
- Where
- Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea.
- Why
- He said housing plans for the park need sufficient public discussion and input from residents and the district. He also said Yongsan needs development, improved safety and stronger local appeal.
Government and ruling party
Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae
Housing on park land
Government and ruling party
Housing supply on some parts of the park has been raised as an option.
Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae
Kim opposes the approach of dividing the park into areas and building housing on some of them.
Consultation
Government and ruling party
Not stated.
Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae
Kim said the district and residents had not been consulted and called for sufficient public discussion.
Future of the site
Government and ruling party
Not stated.
Yongsan District Chief Kim Gyeong-dae
Kim said discussion should focus on developing the park as a national garden.
Kim gave an interview marking 100 days since taking office and described his plans for Yongsan.
The K-Wave Dance Festival was held on Itaewon-ro; Kim said it was the first large-scale festival in the area since the disaster.
Yonhap published its interview with Kim.
The fourth anniversary of the Itaewon disaster was approaching, alongside Halloween.
Planned district development and disaster-safety departments are due to be established, subject to approval of the relevant ordinances by the district council.
- Park area
- About 3 million square metres
- Park status
- A national park created under a special law
- Local tourism plan
- Brand the area around HYBE’s headquarters as “Yongpo-ri
- Planned departments
- Development and disaster safety
- Organization start date
- Jan. 1, 2027, subject to district council approval
1 source
What people are saying
I do not agree with the approach itself of dividing Yongsan Park into core and auxiliary spaces, or preserved and damaged areas, and supplying housing on some of them.
Yongsan Park housing supply requires sufficient social discussion and gathering of opinions.
The focus of the discussion should not be where to build housing in the park, but how to develop it as a national garden.
We need to design the urban space of Yongsan as a whole.