Seoul: Land Minister Kim Yun-duk announced on Wednesday that the South Korean government's plan to develop greenbelt areas for additional housing supply will be confined to Gyeonggi Province, highlighting existing differences with the Seoul city government over housing strategies in the capital. This decision aligns with the government's strategy to supply 73,000 new housing units, which notably excludes greenbelt areas in Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Minister Kim clarified during a press briefing that the new housing units will be developed in Gyeonggi Province. This statement was made ahead of a significant meeting with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, where they planned to discuss housing supply measures for the capital and its surrounding regions. This development follows the government's earlier announcement to construct 27,000 homes by 2030 in areas such as Gangseo in western Seoul, as well as Namyangju and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province.

The land ministry's plans to announce additional development sites capable of accommodating over 73,000 homes by late September have fueled speculation about potential inclusion of underutilized land or greenbelt areas in Seoul. However, the proposal has faced scrutiny due to opposition from the Seoul city government concerning the use of environmentally protected greenbelt zones.

Mayor Oh, affiliated with the main opposition People Power Party, has voiced his opposition to the government's proposal to develop Yongsan Park in central Seoul for housing. Instead, he suggested that the Tancheon Water Recycling Center in Seoul's Gangnam district could serve as an alternative site for housing development.

Following discussions on Wednesday, Minister Kim reported that he and Mayor Oh agreed to explore the water recycling center as a potential housing site. Further discussions will ensue after the Seoul city government provides the necessary materials for review. The Tancheon Water Recycling Center, a 390,000-square-meter site in a prominent Seoul district, is estimated to have the capacity to accommodate up to 13,000 new homes.

Despite these discussions, no concrete agreement was reached on the proposed development of Yongsan Park. The park, largely situated on land returned from a former U.S. military garrison, spans approximately 3 million square meters, an area roughly equivalent to 420 soccer fields.