Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Friday that developing the former site of Yongsan Garrison, which was occupied by US Forces Korea, into a residential complex required public consensus.
Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Bok Ki-wang proposed during an interpellation session that the site in central Seoul — now known as Yongsan Park — should be used to supply housing and abate the capital's housing affordability crisis. In response, Han said he believes "we should remain open to proposing and discussing ideas for various sites (for housing supply). At the same time, I am confident that building public consensus before making any decisions is crucial."
Still, Han remained open to considering the site as a candidate for new housing developments.
"When the concept of a park was first proposed 20 years ago, it embodied a vision for a Seoul rich in greenery, the spirit we must preserve. As 20 years have passed, I believe we should also examine whether there are aspects that need to be reconsidered in light of current circumstances," she said.
The liberal ruling party and conservative Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon have been at odds over the proposed redevelopment, which Oh opposes. The clash ultimately led to an alternative proposal, which both the government and Seoul's municipal government reached a consensus on in August.
Lawmaker Bok suggested Friday that redevelopment at Yongsan Park could provide 13,000 houses on 560,000 square meters of land. Seoul could reference a similar project in Germany, which turned a former US Army hospital in Heidelberg's Rohrbach district into a residential hub with some 600 households.
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