Yoo Hyeon-jun, Hongik University professor who designed the new JYP headquarters, sharply criticized Seoul Metropolitan Government’s plan to change the land use of a park site in front of the building, stating it is “no different from eliminating Yongsan Park and replacing it with housing.”

*This content was translated by AI.

• Seoul Metropolitan Government rebutted: “Comparing Godeok Gangil park land changes to Yongsan Park development? It is a distorted and one-sided comparison.”

Yoo Hyeon-jun, professor at Hongik University who was in charge of the architectural design for JYP Entertainment’s (JYP) new Godeok headquarters, pointed out that changing the land use of the park site in front of where the new headquarters will be built is “no different from saying they will eliminate Yongsan Park and put housing there.”

In a video titled “The Truths Hidden Behind Eliminating Parks in Seoul,” released on September 28 on his YouTube channel ‘Sherlock Hyeonjun,’ Yoo Hyeon-jun (Prof.) stated, “Recently, SH (Seoul Housing and City Development Corporation) is trying to convert park land that should be preserved for future generations into commercial land to earn 100 billion won.” He added, “I don’t know if it’s procedurally possible, but converting a park that must be left for future generations into commercial land just to raise money they need right now is no different from saying they will eliminate Yongsan Park and put housing there.”

Yoo Hyeon-jun (Prof.) said, “Securing the budget by changing park land to commercial land is too short-sighted,” adding that it is a contradictory action inconsistent with Seoul Metropolitan Government’s usual philosophy that “parks must be secured for the future.”

He continued, “JYP would have purchased and proceeded with the land on the assumption that there was a park in front. However, after completing all approvals and just before groundbreaking, the site in front is being changed to commercial use, and they are saying ‘our privacy is being severely infringed, so it seems we cannot build the headquarters,’ leading to a withdrawal.” He emphasized, “JYP has not yet said it is confirmed, but practically it is almost impossible. More important than whether JYP’s new headquarters comes in or whether the building I designed gets built is the issue of changing planned park land to other uses as needed. We should think of keeping parks now as savings for future generations; it is the minimum responsibility adults must fulfill.”

In this regard, Seoul Metropolitan Government stated on September 27, “Comparing the change in Godeok Gangil park land to Yongsan Park development is a one-sided comparison that distorts facts,” and added, “The legal basis for changing park land in Yongsan Park and the Godeok Gangil district is different from the start.”

Seoul Metropolitan Government explained, “SH and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport adjusted the land through consultation, and limitedly changed the district plan while already meeting 140% of the mandatory park and green space standards within the district.” Regarding the point that JYP did not expect the land change, they added, “The September 2023 sales announcement explicitly stated that surrounding land use plans could change. The relevant land was changed to self-sufficiency facility land in October 2025, and JYP’s new headquarters construction permit was granted about six months later, last April. Given that the construction permit proceeded six months after the park land was changed to self-sufficiency facility land with Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approval, the claim that JYP was betrayed by SH is inappropriate. Seoul Metropolitan Government is continuously striving to support the construction of JYP’s new headquarters.”

Previously, JYP disclosed in October 2023 that it had won the bid for 10,067.5 square meters of distribution and sales facility land in Godeok-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul from Seoul Housing and City Development Corporation for approximately 75.536 billion won. Park Jin-young also explained on the YouTube channel ‘Pisik University,’ “It was hard to find a large flat area. It is about five times bigger than our current headquarters. It was public land, people bid on it, and we won.”

JYP previously stated that the new headquarters is “scheduled to rise 28 stories high in 2028.”

Subsequently, JYP briefly stated regarding whether they would cancel the construction of their new headquarters at Godeok Biz Valley in Gangdong-gu, Seoul: “We are reviewing response plans from various angles.”

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*This content was translated by AI.