Yongsan US Military Base Renovated After 120 Years... 'Yongsan Children's Garden' Opens May 4

Opening of the "Geumdan Land"... Entry by Reservation
Government to Monitor Environment and Ensure Safety

A portion of Yongsan Park, returned by the U.S. Forces Korea, will be opened to the public under the name 'Yongsan Children's Garden' starting from 2 p.m. on May 4.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 25th that the site, which had been used as a U.S. military base until recently, will be opened to the public for the first time in over 120 years. They explained that the name Yongsan Children's Garden was chosen to reflect the meaning of a space where children, the future leaders, can stroll with their families and play freely.

The Yongsan area has been a logistics and transportation hub, with Japanese troops stationed there after the signing of the Japan-Korea Protocol in 1904. After liberation, it was used as a U.S. military base, remaining forbidden land inaccessible to the general public for 120 years. However, with the decision to relocate the U.S. military base to Pyeongtaek in the 2000s, the return of the site began and accelerated last year with the relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan. As a result, out of approximately 2.43 million square meters of the U.S. military base, 584,000 square meters were returned last year. Of this, 300,000 square meters will be temporarily opened this time.

The Yongsan Children's Garden consists of the general's residence area encountered at the main entrance, the central lawn garden, the observation hill, and the sports field located to the east.

The general's residence area features single-story detached houses with red roofs where U.S. generals lived, and wooden utility poles, creating an exotic atmosphere. At the information center, visitors can view records of Yongsan Park through photos and videos. The exhibition hall and event house host a commemorative media art exhibition and educational and cultural programs for children, respectively. Additionally, there is the Yongsan Library (a resting space) for enjoying reading, and a record hall where visitors can learn about the lives of U.S. military families and the history of Korean popular music.

The lawn garden is a newly renovated space made from four former U.S. military baseball fields (70,000 square meters). From the observation hill at the far end, visitors can view the entire returned site as well as major surrounding locations such as the presidential office, Yongsan downtown, the National Museum of Korea, and Namsan.

The sports field located at the eastern end is designed as a baseball and soccer field exclusively for children under 12 years old. It can be used free of charge through reservations, and various community sports programs will also be operated.

The government emphasized that air quality monitoring was conducted in five indoor and six outdoor locations in September and November last year, and March this year to ensure safety. Separately, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that various additional measures to enhance safety were implemented throughout the entire area being opened this time.

Admission to Yongsan Children's Garden is by reservation and can be made through the website starting from this day. Visitors with prior visit records can enter immediately after on-site registration. Domestic visitors must make reservations at least five days in advance, and foreign visitors at least ten days in advance. For this month only, on the 25th and 26th, foreign visitors are allowed to make reservations eight days in advance. Opening hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5 p.m.). Closed days are January 1, Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, and every Monday.

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "This temporary opening is the greatest progress achieved since the 2003 agreement on the return of half of the U.S. military base in Yongsan's history," adding, "We will continue to communicate with the public and create a park where future generations are the owners."

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