The future of Seoul’s urban park in Yongsan District, previously used as a U.S. military base, has sparked a debate over the preservation and use of urban space. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has maintained its support for the initial plan to transform the roughly 3-square-kilometer Yongsan Garrison into a green urban space for citizens. Meanwhile, the Lee Jae Myung administration is pushing to develop part of the territory for affordable housing for young people, newlywed couples and working-class citizens struggling to find homes amid a housing shortage in the metropolitan area. Officials of the central and local governments met last week to narrow their differences, but the meeting failed to produce an agreement. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Land Minister Kim Yun-duk are scheduled to meet again this week to seek common ground. Chances of an agreement appear slim, given Oh’s strong opposition to building housing inside the park. Oh has been a vocal critic of the proposal, saying that consenting to the land ministry’s plan to build affordable housing inside the park would be