Yongsan Park chosen as name for development project for returned US base

This file photo shows U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in the middle of Seoul. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided on the name Yongsan Park for the national park to be established on returned land from U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan in the middle of Seoul, city government officials said Sunday.

The name was chosen after 9,401 proposals from residents received from Oct. 19 to Dec. 4 were put to an online vote and reviewed by experts.

The city, together with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH), will also reflect citizens' opinions in designing the park.

Three hundred residents including high school students and the elderly have been selected to form a citizens' group that will suggest a variety of ideas and opinions with regard to this.

The city, ministry and LH plan to finalize plans for the design by the end of the year after receiving the opinions.

“We will create the future of Yongsan Park by reflecting residents' ideas and opinions,” Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jung-hyup said.

On Dec. 11, the United States returned 12 military sites around the country to the government, including unused sports fields in USAG Yongsan, amid persistent concerns that additional delays would further dampen regional development efforts.