Incheon Bupyeong US Military Base 'Camp Market'... Opened to Citizens After 81 Years

Incheon Mayor Park Nam-chun is unlocking the padlock with the key received from the Ministry of National Defense at the opening event of the Bupyeong US military base (Camp Market) on the 14th.
[Photo by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The Bupyeong US military base 'Camp Market' located in the heart of Incheon city will be opened to the public for the first time in 81 years.

Incheon City announced that starting from the 14th, part of the Camp Market site, which was returned last December under the Korea-US agreement, will be freely accessible to citizens.

The city initially received the return of 210,000㎡ out of the total 440,000㎡ of Camp Market land, and the area being opened this time is 93,000㎡, which was previously used as a baseball field, outdoor swimming pool, theater, and basketball court.

Camp Market was used as a Japanese Army weapons manufacturing factory (Jobeongchang) during the Japanese colonial period in 1939, and after liberation, it was occupied by the US Forces Korea, restricting public access for 81 years.

On the morning of the opening day, Incheon Mayor Park Namchun, City Council Chairman Shin Eunho, and officials from the Ministry of National Defense attended the Camp Market opening ceremony. Mayor Park received the key to the Camp Market main gate (GATE1) from the US Forces Korea and the Ministry of National Defense and performed a ceremony opening the iron gate together with citizens.

At the entrance, a street art gallery documenting the history of Camp Market and a sculpture symbolizing Camp Market were created and revealed to the public for the first time.

Mayor Park said, "After putting all our efforts together with the Citizen Participation Committee to reclaim Camp Market using the wisdom and strength of the citizens, we have reached this day. We will also complete the ongoing soil contamination cleanup perfectly so that citizens can safely and freely use the returned Camp Market site."

Meanwhile, Incheon City is operating a Citizen Participation Committee composed of experts in urban planning, urban regeneration, architecture, and arts to find ways to utilize the returned Camp Market. They have also commissioned an external agency to conduct a project for changing the district unit plan of the Camp Market area.

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