A virtual rendering shows an apartment complex built on the National Assembly site in Yeouido, Seoul. [Captured from Danielhan's Threads post]
A virtual rendering shows an apartment complex built on the National Assembly site in Yeouido, Seoul. [Captured from Danielhan's Threads post]

Amid continuing controversy over the government and ruling party's plan to use the Yongsan Park site — often called the lungs of Seoul — for housing supply, a social media post proposing to relocate the National Assembly to Sejong and build apartments in its place has gone viral online.

The post, published on Thursday on the social media platform Threads by a user going by "Danielhan," is titled "Shut up and supply — a housing idea" and has drawn wide attention for naming the National Assembly grounds in western Yeouido as a potential housing site in Seoul.

"If there is genuine will to tame the real estate market, I propose relocating the least productive institution in Seoul — the National Assembly — to Sejong and developing western Yeouido at high density," the author wrote.

The author went on to argue that the National Assembly site covers roughly 330,000 square meters, and that applying a floor-area ratio of 500 percent would yield 1.65 million square meters of residential development area. "If apartments are built mainly in the 66-to-99-square-meter range, around 15,000 units could be constructed," the post said.

The author added that, unlike the Yongsan Park site, the location would require no US military base relocation, no land remediation, and no negotiations with stakeholders or residents. "Yeouido itself is already densely developed, so if built well as a mixed-use complex, it could become a Hong Kong-style landmark," the post said.

"Politicians who shout themselves hoarse about balanced national development just need to go to Sejong," the author added. "This is a 'shut up and supply' proposal — surely they can show at least this much sincerity."

The author also shared a virtual aerial rendering showing a large apartment complex built on the National Assembly grounds.

The post has drawn more than 970 likes and over 160 comments. Supporters flooded the thread with responses including: "Great idea — and while they're moving, let's cut down on lawmakers' offices and workspace too"; "Hear, hear! The least efficient institution in the country occupies prime real estate — politicians should lead by example"; "If apartments go up there, all 50 million people in the country would be thrilled"; "It would be exhilarating to tear down the main assembly hall"; and "Let's take this opportunity to redesign the country's public spaces."

Meanwhile, the National Assembly building, which sits on a roughly 330,000-square-meter site in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, was completed in 1975. From 1954 — shortly after the Korean War truce — until then, the legislature used what is now the main building of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on Taepyeong-ro 1-ga in Jung-gu. The building's grand dome and broad front staircase have drawn criticism as symbols of an authoritarian era.


jshan@heraldcorp.com