Story perspectives

Lee Jae Myung Proposes Yongsan Park Apartments, Seoul Pushes Back

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 10:56 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

President Lee Jae Myung proposes constructing apartments on Yongsan Park, sparking opposition from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
Oh Se-hoon says he will not surrender any centimetre of Yongsan Park for housing.
A Gallup Korea poll on Sept 18 recorded President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating at 37 percent.
Apartment prices have risen for 86 consecutive weeks through early September, while Seoul’s density reaches 16,000 people per km².

History

Historical Context

In 2005 President Roh Moo-Hyun proposed redeveloping Yongsan, then a U.S. garrison that had occupied the area since the Japanese era and under foreign control for over a century. After the 2006 hand-over and the 2018 move of most U.S. forces to Camp Humphreys, Seoul named the 3.03-million-sq-m site Yongsan Park in January 2021. Today President Lee Jae-Myung pushes apartment construction while Mayor Oh Se-hoon resists.

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Story summary

President Lee Jae Myung proposes constructing apartments on Yongsan Park, sparking opposition from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
Oh Se-hoon says he will not surrender any centimetre of Yongsan Park for housing.
A Gallup Korea poll on Sept 18 recorded President Lee Jae Myung’s approval rating at 37 percent.
Apartment prices have risen for 86 consecutive weeks through early September, while Seoul’s density reaches 16,000 people per km².

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