Park or bust: Yongsan community discusses US garrison's future

The U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in central Seoul / Korea Times file

By Kyung Lee

As the relocation plan for U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan advances, residents of surrounding neighborhoods in Yongsan-gu reflect on their interactions with the base with a hint of nostalgia, as if the olden days had left their doorsteps for good.

“In my apartment building, there used to be several families of U.S. military personnel, but now I don't even see one,” said Soo Hou, a resident who has lived in Ichon-dong for five years. “Although our neighborhood used to be more mixed and have a carefree atmosphere, now it seems monotonous.”

Having witnessed significant changes as U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) personnel redeploy south to USAG Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, however, neighboring residents, former service members and business owners largely look forward to the opening of a new chapter. The planned Yongsan Park could rival the green acreage of Central Park, as well as excavate 115 years of history still hidden from public view.

Forgotten timeline

When asked about the garrison which dates back to the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom and throughout the Japanese and U.S. occupations, most local residents say they are largely unfamiliar with its history.

Hou, however, says buildings like the Japanese Army Stockade should be preserved for future parkgoers to learn about Yongsan's unseen history.

“From the First Sino-Japanese War, the Korean War and up until now, this place has been a living witness of the turbulent history of our own country,” she said. “I'm glad to learn that some of the historic buildings will remain untouched.”

Some respondents said they would also like museums to commemorate Korean service members who served overseas. Kim Chun-soo, a research director at Yongsan Cultural Center who also leads a bus tour program on base, told The Korea Times that a park that conveys as many events and voices within the walls justifies the land's purpose of narrating its past.

“Despite issues of national defense and foreign security, I think we need to accelerate the conversion, as members of the tour group have expressed,” he said. “And due to the nature and motives already in motion, it would be impossible to build large apartment complexes on the garrison site.”

No to housing

Though not totally against low-rise apartment complexes, Kim Jeong-ha, who lives near Hyochang Park Station, said such a proposal would require additional planning for new roads and alteration of nearby traffic systems.

“I just hope it does the least harm to the environment with a plan that promotes it,” she said.

Rather than reserving spaces for housing, other residents add that full implementation of the 2007 Special Act on the Creation of Yongsan Park would provide universal access to Seoul citizens and visitors, stressing the benefits for extended comfort and eco-friendly spaces.

“People say the housing market is in a bubble,” said Shin Tae-jin, a resident who lives in the Gyeongnidan-gil area in Itaewon. “Why inflate this bubble with additional apartment constructions?”

Public discourse on reserving the garrison's 630 acres of land to accommodate consistent demand in affordable housing remains a hotly contested metropolitan issue. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport insists the park will be constructed as planned, but dialogue between Seoulites and the government can nevertheless be perceived as a healthy democratic engine for future decision-making.

“Propositions for new infrastructure may differ depending on the interpretation of economic conditions and the urban landscape, so it's natural that ministries and agencies lay out diverse opinions,” said Choe Kyung-ho, a former KATUSA who served in Yongsan from 1997. “Through this process, I hope we can coordinate such decisions for our future.”

What the park means for Itaewon businesses

While small restaurants including the brunch cafe Summer Lane are also in support of a national park that can inject new life into the area, another business owner says that existing businesses, including his own, should adapt to the changing demographics of customers in the wake of the receding tide of foreign influences.

“One of the main reasons Gyeongnidan-gil started to go under was because of the relocation of USAG Yongsan operations to Humphreys,” said Lim Hyeong-do, co-owner of the Japanese restaurant SooSooDo located on Shinheung-ro near Haebangchon Intersection. “And because foreigners cannot serve as part of an interior atmosphere, where you also may receive more Korean patrons, you have to boost your flavors to accommodate the new dining culture.”