The representatives of Gwacheon citizens are drawing attention as they visit the government office in Sejong to demand the withdrawal of housing supply and relocation plans for the Gwacheon Racecourse.
According to the city of Gwacheon, about 20 citizen representatives held a launch ceremony in the lobby of the city hall on the morning of September 17, expressing their opposition to the government's unilateral push for housing supply and the relocation of the racecourse, before moving to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Sejong to hold a rally.
Former Gwacheon City Council Chairperson Ha Young-joo and former Gwacheon Association Chairperson Kim Seong-hoon represented the citizens and issued a statement.
The citizen representatives stated, "It is unacceptable for the government to promote the Gwacheon Racecourse and surrounding areas as a large-scale housing supply site without sufficient consultation with the citizens of Gwacheon," demanding a comprehensive review of the plans.
They particularly argued, "In light of the ongoing large-scale development projects such as the Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town and Gwacheon District, it is more important to enhance the currently lacking transportation, education, and living infrastructure before pursuing additional housing supply."
Previously, the government announced plans to supply 9,800 housing units in the area around the Gwacheon Racecourse and the Defense Security Command, with construction aimed to begin by December 2029 after relocation and permitting processes.
In response, the citizen representatives expressed their opposition to relocating or developing the racecourse, which has served as a recreational and cultural space for Gwacheon residents and those in the metropolitan area.
They also raised concerns that if large-scale housing supply is pursued again, it could exacerbate existing traffic congestion and the lack of educational and living infrastructure, as citizens are already experiencing inconveniences due to the failure to meet initial plans for ongoing development projects.
Kim Hang-sik, a citizen representative, stated in a separate statement, "Over the past five years, as a representative of residents in the Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town, I repeatedly heard responses like 'it's already decided' and 'there's no choice' while negotiating with the Korea Land and Housing Corporation on current issues."
He added, "While the completion of infrastructure, including the Information Town Station, has been delayed, residents continue to move in, causing suffering for citizens as people arrive on schedule while facilities lag behind."
Furthermore, he emphasized, "Even after the government's plan to supply 4,000 housing units on the Gwacheon government site was scrapped due to citizen opposition, the supply volume did not disappear; instead, a new development area was created in Galhyeon-dong, Gwacheon," urging the government to stop changing housing supply sites within Gwacheon.
Kim asserted, "No one has asked us for our opinion," and insisted, "The government must fulfill the promised infrastructure before making new promises about future developments."
During the rally, the citizen representatives planned to present their main demands, which include the withdrawal of housing supply plans without the consent of Gwacheon citizens, the cancellation of the racecourse relocation plan, and the cessation of unilateral housing supply while engaging in discussions with Gwacheon citizens.
After the rally, they will also visit the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to deliver a petition outlining the demands of Gwacheon citizens.
The citizen representatives will call for a comprehensive review of the large-scale housing supply plans for the racecourse and the Defense Security Command site, and demand that the ongoing development projects' transportation, education, and living infrastructure be responsibly completed before any new housing supply is initiated.
Additionally, they will urge that sufficient consultation with Gwacheon citizens be conducted before making decisions on major development plans in the city.
Meanwhile, the citizen representatives plan to continue their activities in response to the government's unilateral policy implementation until their demands are met.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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