Gwacheon mayor stages one-person protest against Justice Ministry move and housing plan

Shin Gye-yong (신계용), mayor of Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province, staged a one-person protest on 8 October in front of the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, against government plans to relocate the Ministry of Justice and the racecourse and to supply large-scale housing. Yonhap reported that the protest took place at about 11:30 a.m.; Newsis reported that he also protested at the fountain square in front of Cheong Wa Dae. He held a picket reading "Do not push ahead with the relocation of the Ministry of Justice and the racecourse, or with unilateral housing supply, without citizens' consent" and called for the views of the city and its residents to be reflected in policy decisions affecting Gwacheon's future. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

"We can never accept the government's unilateral policy of announcing large-scale housing supply beyond what a small city can absorb and then relocating major government agencies without any measures, destroying the city's functions," Shin said, according to Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun. He said the government should respect the voice of Gwacheon citizens and prepare responsible measures to maintain the city's function as an administrative city and prevent it from being hollowed out. Newsis carried a similar statement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

Yonhap reported that the government had decided, as part of its real estate policy, to supply large-scale housing on the racecourse site and the site of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and recently said that under its second plan to relocate central administrative agencies and public institutions it would move the Ministry of Justice to Sejong next year. The reports put the planned housing at 9,800 households. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

The city has demanded that the housing plan be withdrawn in full, arguing that with transport and living infrastructure and city finances already strained by existing large developments, the additional supply would exceed the city's capacity. It has also warned that the relocation of government agencies would weaken Gwacheon's function as an administrative city and hollow out the city, and has asked for the relocation plan to be reviewed and for an official consultative body between the government and the city. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

The city held a press conference on 3 September demanding withdrawal of the housing plan, which Newsis described as a joint press conference with citizens, and another on 10 September opposing the ministry relocation. Newsis reported that the city plans to visit the National Assembly to propose legal amendments so that local views are reflected. Yonhap reported that Shin plans to continue his protest on the morning of 14 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

Newsis also reported that on 8 October, when Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung (송미령) visited the Korea Racing Authority (한국마사회) headquarters in Gwacheon to meet its board, residents waiting there handed her a box containing hair they had cut at a head-shaving ceremony at Gwacheon Central Park in March. The residents said they would use every means to stop the racecourse relocation. [ 4 ]