Yongsan Park to Open Temporarily from Tomorrow... Concerns Over 'Contaminants' Remain on Site

Photo description: Janggun Sukso located within Yongsan Park (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Temporarily Open Site for 10 Days Starting the 10th

Entire Returned Site of Approximately 400,000㎡ to Be Opened in September

Toxic Substances Detected in Some Areas... Movement and Viewing Time Restrictions

[Yongsan=Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] A portion of the Yongsan site, where the U.S. Forces Korea have been stationed for over 70 years, will be pilot-opened to the general public starting from the 10th of this month. During the pilot opening period, the government plans to reflect citizens' feedback and expand the site for temporary opening in September. However, concerns over soil contamination within the opened areas remain unresolved, raising calls for thorough government investigation and safety measures before full-scale opening.

On the 7th, as the reporter entered Gate 14 near Sinyongsan Station, a row of accommodation buildings used by U.S. military generals was seen. This space was where the 7th Infantry Division Headquarters, previously stationed in Okinawa, stayed. The one-story buildings with brown front doors and red roofs presented an exotic appearance quite different from other buildings found domestically.

The pilot opening site stretches approximately 1.1 km in a straight line from Sinyongsan Station, passing through the generals' quarters and the southern area of the Presidential Office, reaching the sports field (north of the National Museum of Korea). This site is also the closest place from which the relocated Presidential Office in Yongsan can be viewed.

View of the Presidential Office and Front Yard from the Observatory (Photo by Ryu Taemin)

Following the east-west running 'U.S. Army 10th Corps Road,' one passes by officers' quarters where U.S. military field-grade officers stayed, eventually reaching a beige observation deck about 4 meters high. From this vantage point, the front yard of the Presidential Office comes into view. On the opposite side, an apartment complex in Ichon-dong is located just 500 to 600 meters away, giving a sense of proximity.

Near the National Museum of Korea, sports field buildings housing exercise facilities were clustered together. This space was reportedly used not only by U.S. military personnel but also by South Korean national athletes in the past when facilities were inadequate.

However, entry into the interiors of all buildings on the U.S. military base was not permitted. The Yongsan Park Development Planning Group announced that after the pilot opening in the second half of the year, only about 100 out of approximately 1,000 buildings with historical significance will be restored through remodeling.

The Listening Mailboxes installed throughout Yongsan Park (Photo by Ryu Taemin)

Throughout the park, red mailbox-shaped 'Listening Mailboxes' are installed. The Yongsan Park Development Planning Group plans to collect improvement suggestions from visitors during the pilot opening period via postcards deposited in these mailboxes and incorporate them into the temporary opening scheduled for the second half of the year. Additionally, near the front yard of the Presidential Office, a Pinwheel Zone where visitors can place white pinwheels as a memento and a caf? street for refreshments and relaxation have been established.

Road view inside Yongsan Park

The government will pilot open these areas to 2,500 people daily for 10 days starting from the 10th. Kim Bok-hwan, head of the Yongsan Park Development Planning Group at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "During the temporary opening in September, the entire returned site of over 400,000㎡ will be fully opened. This includes schools, the main gate, Gate 14, and other spaces, but some remaining U.S. military facilities will not be opened."

The total area of Yongsan Park, including the National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial, reaches 3 million㎡. The area to be returned by the U.S. military to the Korean government is 2.43 million㎡, of which approximately 634,000㎡ have been returned. About 400,000㎡ of the returned land is planned to be opened in September.

However, safety concerns have arisen as toxic substances were recently detected in some parts of Yongsan Park. According to the office of Lee Soo-jin, a member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee from the Democratic Party, large amounts of carcinogens were found last month in the A4c, A4d, and A4e zones of the returned land. 108,920㎡, which is 66.1% of the area of these three zones, exceeded soil contamination concern standards.

In the A4d (baseball field) zone, toxic complex substances such as TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) were detected at 8.9 times the standard (4,436 mg/kg), and arsenic, a carcinogen, was found at 9.4 times the standard (234.86 mg/kg). The soils in A4e (hospital) and A4c (near hospital) were contaminated with harmful substances including TPH, benzene, xylene, and copper, and groundwater TPH concentration reached 195.4 times the purification standard. Previously, contamination was also confirmed in other open areas such as A4a (school), A4b and A4f (generals' quarters), and A1 (sports field). For TPH, the levels exceeded standards by 23 times in A4a, 29 times in A4b and A4f, and 36 times in A1.

The government plans to lay artificial turf on-site and limit visitors' stay to within two hours. Kim Bok-hwan, head of the planning group, said, "We will prioritize visitor safety by organizing movement plans, opening scope, time, and programs. We will minimize direct contact with contaminated soil and apply covering measures to reduce exposure to polluted soil." The government intends to block access or control usage times for areas with severe contamination.

The government also announced plans to implement remediation measures, including covering, to reduce contamination levels. Kim Bok-hwan explained, "Since contaminants are buried underground, remediation involves preventing them from surfacing and causing harm. Dioxin was detected in the school area, but its concentration is low enough that staying in the area for 25 years increases cancer risk for about 3 out of 10,000 people. We will fence off and control the area until dioxin is completely purified."

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