[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Will the Proposal to Relocate the Korea Military Academy Ignite Again?

Housing Supply in Full Swing on Taereung Golf Course Site
Relocation of Korea Military Academy Regional Office Also Becoming Practically Inevitable

'Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony' held at the Korea Military Academy in Nowon-gu, Seoul

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] The plan to supply housing by utilizing the state-owned Taereung Golf Course site is expected to gain momentum. In particular, full-scale discussions regarding the relocation of the Korea Military Academy are also anticipated.

On the 20th, President Moon Jae-in held a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun at the Blue House, during which they agreed to discuss ways to utilize the state-owned Taereung Golf Course site by maximizing the discovery of national and public facility sites to expand housing supply, according to a press release from the Prime Minister's Office. It was decided not to lift the controversial Greenbelt development restriction.

The military facilities, Korea Military Academy and Taereung Golf Course, are located in Nowon-gu, Seoul. The area alone amounts to 1,496,979㎡ (approximately 450,000 pyeong), and including the nearby Taereung Athletes' Village site, it reaches 2.5 million㎡. Considering that Seoul's Gireum New Town (1.24 million㎡), Singil Redevelopment Promotion District (990,000㎡), and Ahyeon Redevelopment Promotion District (760,000㎡) supplied between 18,500 and 19,530 housing units respectively, it is possible to supply more than 20,000 housing units. The Korea Military Academy is also highly valued for its location, being close to Hwarangdae Station and Bonghwasan Station on Subway Line 6, as well as Galmae Station on the Gyeongchun Line.

More than 20,000 Housing Units Feasible When Supplying Housing at Taereung Golf Course
Likely Candidates for Korea Military Academy Relocation Include Dongducheon, Hwacheon-gun, Sangju-si, and Nonsan-si

If housing is supplied on the Taereung Golf Course site, the issue of relocating the Korea Military Academy is expected to resurface. Established in 1946, the academy's buildings are aging, and with only about 4,000 personnel related to its operation, there have been criticisms regarding inefficient land use. The Air Force Academy relocated from Daebang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul to Cheongju, Chungbuk, and the Korea National Defense University moved from Sangam-dong, Seoul to Nonsan, Chungnam. For these reasons, voices calling for the Korea Military Academy to also relocate have emerged.

Many local governments are eager to host the Korea Military Academy. Dongducheon City in Gyeonggi Province is proposing Camp Hovey, a U.S. military base relocated to Pyeongtaek, as a replacement site for the academy. Camp Hovey covers a total area of 14.05 million㎡ (approximately 4.25 million pyeong), which is larger than the combined area of the Korea Military Academy and Taereung Golf Course. Hwacheon-gun in Gangwon Province recently officially proposed the relocation of the academy amid difficulties caused by the disbandment and relocation of regional military units under Defense Reform 2.0. The number of military personnel in Hwacheon-gun is about 27,000, exceeding the resident population of approximately 24,000, so the disbandment of military units would inevitably worsen the local economy. Sangju-si in Gyeongbuk Province held a staff academy last year to build consensus on hosting and relocating the Korea Military Academy and has been promoting the background for attracting the academy. Nonsan-si in Chungnam Province emphasizes its proximity to Gyeryong-si, where the three military headquarters are located, arguing that it is suitable for strengthening defense competitiveness and developing into a future defense city. These local governments are advocating for the relocation of the Korea Military Academy as a means of balanced regional development.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.