March 2022 Shock, and Three Years Later

On March 20, 2022, President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency press conference to announce the relocation of the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan. His rationale was that "the U.S. military base is scheduled to be returned sequentially starting this year, allowing for rapid development of Yongsan Park."

However, three years later, only 31.5% of the total Yongsan U.S. military base area has been returned. While the relocation of U.S. forces to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek is largely complete, the actual park development in Yongsan has been virtually at a standstill.

With the Blue House relocation now confirmed, voices are growing louder calling for the Yongsan Park project—adrift for over 30 years—to be put back on track.

Hastily Created 'Children's Garden' and Anachronistic 'Patriots and Veterans' Insertion

The Yoon administration opened the 'Yongsan Children's Garden' in May 2023. It was a temporary space created on returned land around the Ministry of National Defense with minimal contamination reduction measures and limited budget.

Professor Bae Jeong-han of Seoul National University's Department of Landscape Architecture criticized it as "the reality of the rapid development declared with a crude bird's-eye view was not Yongsan Park itself, but green makeup using the wholesome images of 'children' and 'garden.'"

In December 2024, the '4th Revision of Yongsan Park Comprehensive Master Plan' was announced. It unexpectedly inserted the concept of 'patriots and veterans.' It added a "'patriots and veterans' function to enhance the status of the national park" and presented "realization of ecological, historical, 'patriots and veterans,' and cultural identity" as the park's character.

Professor Bae noted, "It's an anachronistic idea, but this can be corrected in the next planning process," while pointing out that "the real fundamental problem is that base return has made almost no progress."

30 Years of Drift: From 2007 to 2025

The history of Yongsan Park dates back to 2005 with the government's first plan, 'Yongsan Base Park Development Concept.' Major milestones since then include:

• 2007: Enactment of the Special Act on Yongsan Park Development
• 2011: Establishment of park vision through Comprehensive Master Plan
• 2012: Selection of West 8's design through international design competition
• 2018: Completion of basic design (but remained unimplemented, 'sleeping in the cabinet')
• 2022: Launch of Yoon administration, park development halted due to Yongsan presidential office relocation
• 2025: Decision to return to Blue House

Professor Bae explains, "According to the Comprehensive Master Plan, completing Yongsan Park requires at least 'N (time of full base return) + 7 years,'" adding that "since when N will occur is uncertain, Yongsan Park is inevitably an ultra-long-term project."

Repeated Indifference and Populism Across Administrations

Professor Bae, who has continuously participated in the Yongsan Park planning process, says "the biggest crisis was government indifference." He points out it's not just one administration's problem.

"A project where U.S. relocation keeps being delayed and base return timing is uncertain, making it impossible to even break ground during one's term. Every administration's attitude bordered on neglect."

A bigger problem is development rhetoric that emerges during every election. In 2021, a campaign promise even proposed building 80,000 housing units with 1000% floor area ratio on 20% of the park site. Professor Bae criticized, "On this land of hardship left by war and foreign powers, populist spatial politics centered on apartment supply have been repeated every election season."

Three Things That Must Be Done Now

Professor Bae proposes three priority tasks to be pursued following the Blue House relocation:

① Legal Announcement of Park Development Plan

The 'Park Development Plan' under the Special Act on Yongsan Park Development must be finalized and legally announced. Based on the already completed basic design (2018), preparation for implementation after N years must begin, wisely managing the long gap between planning and development while continuing discussion in public forums.

② Creating a Detailed Roadmap

The 'phased plan' presented in the Comprehensive Master Plan must be supplemented more precisely. A meticulous roadmap is needed to plan and coordinate the complex processes and variables—environmental surveys, soil contamination remediation, detailed design, and phased construction—that will unfold over approximately 10 years after complete base return.

③ Considering Establishment of Dedicated Public Corporation

Establishment of a public corporation such as 'Yongsan Park Corporation' should be considered. In a reality where administrations change every five years, a civil servant organization structure that assigns work to committees and external experts cannot guarantee continuity and expertise. An organization that employs landscape architects, urban planners, and architects as full-time professionals must lead the project long-term.

Future Outlook [AI Analysis]

The Blue House relocation presents an opportunity to restart the Yongsan Park project. However, without political will, it is likely to drift again.

Active ROK-U.S. negotiations are essential to expedite the return of the entire base. If authorities passively wait, there's no guarantee whether N+7 years will be 2035 or even extend beyond 2050. The further N is pushed back, the more likely real estate development and housing supply arguments will resurface.

Yongsan Park is green infrastructure responding to the climate crisis of the Anthropocene and urban margin for future generations. Professor Bae emphasizes, "The forbidden land of Yongsan U.S. military base must return to us dressed in park attire." Yongsan Park—it's not over until it's over.