Pocheon Councilors Protest Plan to Swap Land at Former Army Corps Site

Two city councilors in Pocheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province north of Seoul, began daily picket protests on October 26 against a plan to resolve the return of the former 6th Army Corps site through a land swap. Citizens joined them in front of City Hall, urging the city to rethink its negotiating approach.

Why the Swap Is Controversial

Councilors Yoon Kyung-rye and Lee Mi-sook argue that the city should recover the municipal land once used by the military and that the troops should leave. The swap under discussion would give the military part of the city-owned land it used, while Pocheon would receive military-owned land adjacent to its own parcels. Opponents worry this could leave the military presence in place and limit local development, since changing land ownership is not the same as a full withdrawal.

Councilor Yoon used a five-minute floor speech at the 196th regular session on October 20 to press the city administration. Her demands included halting the swap and returning to the principle of recovering about 80,000 pyeong of city land, setting clear goals for a full troop withdrawal, disclosing how the swap was pursued and how it would affect nearby areas, and presenting timelines for the return and withdrawal. She also asked for detailed plans on demolition, soil cleanup and cost sharing with the central government. She said the administration showed little change, which is why she took to the streets.

Councilor Lee said Pocheon has sacrificed for more than 75 years, and that the price of 4.8 billion won is far too small. She stressed that the city's land should come back and the troops should leave. One resident said the military seems to have prepared its strategy carefully while Pocheon responds superficially. The councilors plan to protest every day from 8 to 9 a.m. in front of City Hall until the situation changes.

Why It Matters

The dispute shows that returning a military site is about more than ownership. Residents want clear evidence that any deal will end long-standing restrictions and support the city's future growth, along with transparency about how decisions are made.

Read the original article in Korean: K trendy NEWS