Plans to build 1,000 public homes at Yeomchang Neighborhood Park in Seoul’s Gangseo District have faced strong opposition from about 200 residents, forcing the cancellation of a briefing session and raising the risk of delays. The site is the only new public housing site in Seoul included in the government’s Aug. 13 rapid housing supply plan. Officials intend to use land inside the park that has remained damaged and neglected for about 20 years, with construction targeted to begin in 2029. Residents say the plan was announced without sufficient consultation and want the land restored as a park. Gangseo District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon apologized for the lack of consultation and said the district would withdraw the plan if the Seoul city government provides a clear restoration timetable, while still defending development as necessary to improve local infrastructure. The government aims to reduce the period from housing-site designation to groundbreaking to 33 months, but opposition at the consultation stage could make that timeline difficult to achieve.