First Public Opening of the Former Defense Acquisition Program Administration Site, Seven Times the Size of Seoul Plaza

by Lim Chulyoung

Published 21 Apr.2021 11:50(KST)

‘Yongsan Park National Participation Group’ Walks Approximately 3.8km from Noksapyeong Station to Former Defense Acquisition Program Administration Site Exploring History and Culture
Original Military Facilities Since the Korean War Including the First Marine Corps Headquarters and Air Raid Shelter

First Public Opening of the Former Defense Acquisition Program Administration Site, Seven Times the Size of Seoul Plaza

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 21st that it will open the former Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) site to 300 members of the ‘Yongsan Park National Participation Group’ for three days from the 23rd to the 25th. This event is linked with the ‘Yongsan Base Trail Walk’ program that Seoul has been operating since 2019.

The site opening was arranged so that the ‘Yongsan Park National Participation Group,’ which will incorporate public voices into the Yongsan Park development plan, can directly see the interior and discuss the future direction of Yongsan Park. This was made possible through close cooperation among the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Marine Corps Headquarters. It will also be opened to the general public through a prior application process in the future.

The former DAPA site is located on the northern side of Yongsan Base. It borders the Yongsan Park development zone and was newly included in Yongsan Park as of December last year. Military facilities built after the Korean War, such as the Marine Corps Headquarters building constructed in 1955 and air-raid shelters built by our military at the time, remain intact. Currently, only a few facilities such as the Defense Media Agency remain after DAPA relocated to Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province in 2017.

The ‘Yongsan Park National Participation Group’ will walk approximately 3.8 km, covering the ‘Noksapyeong Walk’ section among the eight sections of the ‘Yongsan Base Trail Walk’ and the former DAPA site. The walk takes about two hours. A guide will explain various aspects of life, history, and culture in the surrounding area. The walk starts at Noksapyeong Station, passes through the entrance of Gyeongridan and Haebangchon, and finishes at the former DAPA site.

Participants can directly see the interior of the former Marine Corps Headquarters main building and air-raid shelters, which are planned to be preserved within Yongsan Park, and view other facilities on the site from the outside. Notably, most military facilities remaining in Yongsan were built by foreign powers such as Japan, but the former Marine Corps Headquarters main building, the Marine Corps’ first church, and the air-raid shelters being opened this time were constructed by our military, making them highly significant.

The ‘Yongsan Park National Participation Group’ was formed in January to incorporate vivid public voices into the Yongsan Park development plan. Through various discussions until June, they plan to prepare a ‘National Recommendation’ outlining the direction for Yongsan Park’s development.

Meanwhile, the first half of the ‘Yongsan Base Trail Walk’ program will operate until June 26. In the second half (September to November), the number of sessions will be expanded.

Lee Jeong-hwa, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban Planning Bureau, said, “Through cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Marine Corps Headquarters, we are opening the former DAPA site, where military facilities built after the Korean War remain intact, to the public for the first time.” She added, “Starting with the Yongsan Park National Participation Group, we will open the doors to the general public through the Yongsan Base Trail Walk program in the future.”