Gwacheon City Opposes Government Housing Policy...Calls for Complete Withdrawal of Racetrack Park and Counterintelligence Agency Sites

Gwacheon City held a 'press conference opposing the government's unilateral housing supply policy' at the Clock Tower Plaza of Gwacheon Civic Hall at 5 p.m. on the 3rd, calling for the complete withdrawal of the government's plan to supply housing at the Racetrack Park and Counterintelligence Agency sites.

At the scene, 33 representatives including Mayor Shin Gye-yong of Gwacheon City, Hwang Sun-hee, president of the Gwacheon City Council, Kim Hang-sik, co-chair of the private joint committee, and resident representatives, along with approximately 300 citizens, gathered to raise their voices.

The press conference began with a statement by Mayor Shin Gye-yong, followed by a signature and thumbprint performance to gather the sentiments of citizens. Resident representatives held placards containing messages letter by letter and chanted slogans together, publicly announcing the unified will of Gwacheon citizens and their demand for the withdrawal of the housing supply policy.

Subsequently, Hwang Sun-hee, president of the Gwacheon City Council, and Kim Hang-sik, co-chair of the private joint committee, came forward as citizen representatives to make free speeches conveying citizens' voices on the government's unilateral housing supply policy. Finally, a performance of the song 'Beautiful Gwacheon' carrying messages of solidarity and hope from Gwacheon citizens concluded the press conference.

On this day, Gwacheon City pointed out that the urban and financial burdens that must be borne due to the government's unilateral housing supply policy have already reached their limit, and demanded an immediate halt to additional housing supply plans without sufficient consultation with citizens.

Mayor Shin Gye-yong of Gwacheon City stated, "If the government ignores our demands and pushes forward with the policy, we will actively respond by mobilizing all means permitted by law and regulations to protect Gwacheon's urban competitiveness, citizens' quality of life, and the environment for future generations."

Gwacheon experienced major conflict among citizens over housing supply on idle Gwacheon Government Complex sites according to the Metropolitan Housing Supply Expansion Plan announced on August 4, 2020. Subsequently, the supply volume in the Gwacheon District expanded from the original 7,000 units to over 10,000 units, and approximately 1,000 units were added to the Galhyeon District, explaining that the city has already accommodated a considerable scale of housing supply.

Furthermore, the city argued that the additional supply of approximately 9,800 units at the Racetrack Park and Counterintelligence Agency sites constitutes excessive development exceeding the city's capacity, and stated that rather than pursuing reckless new supply, priority should be given to completing the transportation and living infrastructure promised in the four ongoing public housing projects currently underway.

Gwacheon City made five demands to the government: △complete withdrawal of the housing supply plan for the Racetrack Park and Counterintelligence Agency sites △cessation of unilateral housing supply policies that do not take into account Gwacheon's urban capacity and financial conditions △implementation of measures to strengthen self-sufficient functions and support urban development △suspension of indiscriminate Greenbelt development △genuine consultation with Gwacheon City and citizens.