Key facts
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon are in conflict over plans for a 300-hectare green space in Seoul.
- Mayor Oh wants to develop the site into a public park, citing Seoul's "greenery deficit" and density.
- President Lee proposed building apartments on part of the site to address a national housing crisis.
- Seoul apartment prices have climbed for a record 86 consecutive weeks.
- President Lee's public approval rating has fallen to a record low of 37%, with real-estate policy cited as a major factor.
- Mayor Oh, a potential presidential contender, is resisting the president's housing policy.
A dispute over a significant green space in Seoul has emerged between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, highlighting the nation's housing crisis and the president's declining approval ratings. President Lee is advocating for the development of apartments on a 300-hectare (740-acre) site near the Han River, which was previously designated for a public park after over a century as a military base.
Mayor Oh, however, is firmly opposed to the plan, emphasizing Seoul's "greenery deficit" and the need for open space in one of the world's most densely populated cities. He stated that he would not surrender "a single centimetre" of the planned park for housing.
The conflict underscores a broader urban policy challenge faced by megacities globally: balancing severe housing shortages with maintaining liveability and environmental health. Seoul's high population density exacerbates strains on both housing and green areas.
President Lee's real-estate policies have been a major driver of his falling approval ratings, which hit a record low of 37% in a recent Gallup Korea poll. Seoul apartment prices have seen a record surge, climbing for 86 consecutive weeks. The president has countered criticism by suggesting the city government, under Mayor Oh, has contributed to the shortage by reducing building permits and construction starts.
Mayor Oh, a two-time presidential aspirant from the opposition, argues that Lee's mortgage curbs and higher taxes have worsened the crisis by reducing borrowing power and pushing up rents, disproportionately affecting young, first-time buyers. He described Seoul as a "city of water and mountains" that nonetheless lacks accessible green space for its residents, who largely live in apartments.