Incheon opens 9,500㎡ more of Camp Market after soil cleanup
In short
Incheon city said it has opened an additional 9,500㎡ inside Camp Market (the former US military base in Bupyeong) after finishing soil contamination cleanup, and opened a walkway linking the site to Buyeong Park. The newly opened area brings total public space at Camp Market to 58,800㎡. The city said it carried out a human health risk assessment for soil contamination before opening the walkway, and held walking and drawing events to mark the occasion.
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Incheon city said on Oct. 5 that it had opened an additional 9,500㎡ inside B zone of Camp Market, the former US military base in Bupyeong, after completing soil contamination cleanup on the site, and had opened a walkway connecting the base area to Buyeong Park. With the addition, the total Camp Market space open to the public stands at 58,800㎡, the city said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The openings have proceeded in stages. The city began in May 2021 with the B zone playground site of 32,800㎡, then opened further areas in line with the cleanup schedule under buildings — a first stage in September 2024 and a second stage in July 2025 — according to Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo. [ 2 , 3 ]
The newly opened section has been landscaped with walking trails and flower beds, and the connecting path was built so that Camp Market and Buyeong Park, previously separated by a wall, run into each other for pedestrians. The city said it conducted a human health risk assessment related to soil contamination before creating the path, and that the assessment confirmed safety for residents. [ 2 , 3 ]
Camp Market has been the subject of a prolonged dispute. Hankook Ilbo reported that during 2017 US-ROK negotiations over the return of the land, serious soil contamination was confirmed there, including dioxin — described by the outlet as a class-one carcinogen — along with oil and heavy metals. Disagreements between the United States and South Korea over who would carry out and pay for the cleanup, and between the local government and civic groups over whether to demolish historic structures such as a hospital from the Japanese colonial-era arsenal, delayed the full opening considerably, the outlet reported. The cleanup advanced after the introduction of advanced methods such as thermal desorption technology to treat dioxin-contaminated soil, it said. [ 3 ]
To mark the opening, the city held events including a walk for residents along the newly connected pedestrian route and a Camp Market drawing contest, according to Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo. [ 2 , 3 ]
Koo Hye-rim, head of the city's Original Downtown Innovation Bureau, said the city would work to improve the park environment and expand green space so that residents can feel the change in their daily lives, the outlets reported. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The opening extends public access to a former US military base that has been closed off by contamination and cleanup disputes for years, giving Incheon residents additional park space in the city centre. It also marks another step in the staged handover of the site under the 2017 land-return process, with further areas still tied to the cleanup schedule.
Key facts
- Incheon city opened an additional 9,500㎡ in Camp Market B zone after completing soil contamination cleanup there. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Total open space at Camp Market now stands at 58,800㎡. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A connecting path between Camp Market and Buyeong Park, previously blocked by a wall, was opened. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The city said it conducted a human health risk assessment related to soil contamination before creating the path. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The newly opened section includes walking trails and flower beds. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Openings have proceeded in stages: the B zone playground site (32,800㎡) in May 2021, stage one in September 2024 and stage two in July 2025, timed to cleanup work under buildings. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Commemorative events included a walking experience on the new path and a Camp Market drawing contest. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported that dioxin, oil and heavy metals contamination was confirmed at Camp Market during 2017 US-ROK land-return negotiations, and that disputes over who would pay for cleanup and over demolishing historic buildings delayed the full opening. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Incheon city opened an additional 9,500㎡ in Camp Market B zone after completing soil contamination cleanup, expanding total open space to 58,800㎡. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A path connecting Camp Market and Buyeong Park was opened. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The city said it verified safety through a soil contamination-related human health risk assessment before opening the path. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The new area was built with walking trails and flower beds, and the city held walking and drawing events to mark the opening. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Koo Hye-rim, head of the city's Original Downtown Innovation Bureau, said the city will continue improving the park environment and expanding green space. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The documents do not give a schedule or date for opening the remainder of Camp Market. Both Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo describe staged openings tied to the cleanup schedule but state no target for full opening.
- Details of the risk assessment results, such as measured contamination levels, are not provided. Two outlets say the assessment was carried out and safety confirmed, but neither reports the figures.
- Nevisis's article body covers an unrelated DMZ mine incident, not Camp Market. Only the Newsis headline concerns this event, so its supporting detail cannot be verified from the document text.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that Incheon added 9,500㎡ of open space at Camp Market and opened a connecting path to Buyeong Park. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports Incheon city's announcement: 9,500㎡ in B zone opened after cleanup, total open space at 58,800㎡, and the Buyeong Park link opened. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the opening together with background on the 2017 contamination findings and the disputes that delayed full opening. [ 3 ]
- Newsis carries a headline on the Buyeong Park connecting path opening and the expanded Camp Market open space. [ 4 ]