Choi Hogwon, Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor, Actively Proposes Joint Visit of 25 Seoul District Mayors to Ministry of Environment for Expansion of Park Golf Courses to Address Residents' Long-Standing Requests

Proposal for Joint Response and Cooperation Request at July 10 Seoul District Mayors' Council Regular Meeting
Urgent Expansion of Senior-Friendly Sports Facilities Needed Due to Entry into Super-Aged Society in 2025
Park Golf Rapidly Emerging as Senior Sport with Simple Equipment and Low Cost
Strong Request to Hangang Basin Environmental Office for River Occupancy Permit to Expand Anyangcheon Park Golf Course

Choi Ho-gwon, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that on the 10th, at the Seoul Metropolitan Council of District Mayors meeting, the 25 district mayors of Seoul jointly decided to actively petition the Ministry of Environment to obtain river occupancy permits in order to expand park golf courses.

According to population projections by Statistics Korea, South Korea will enter a super-aged society by 2025. In preparation for this, the expansion of senior-friendly community sports facilities is urgently needed. Park golf has recently gained nationwide popularity as a senior sport because it can be enjoyed at a low cost with only simple equipment. Additionally, since the opening of the Anyangcheon Park Golf Course in Yeongdeungpo-gu in 2021, the number of park golf enthusiasts has rapidly increased more than threefold over the past three years.

Currently, the supply rate of park golf courses in Seoul is the lowest in the country, with supply unable to keep up with the number of users. This is because Seoul lacks large areas of available land. Therefore, it is essential to develop park golf courses along rivers such as Anyangcheon and Jungnangcheon, which are adjacent to residents' living areas.

Accordingly, the district has been actively promoting the expansion project of the Anyangcheon Park Golf Course since August 2022. In June of this year, with the revision and promulgation of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Installation and Use of Sports Facilities, park golf courses were legally recognized as sports facilities for the first time in 20 years, providing a legal basis for their installation. However, the Hangang River Basin Environmental Office has denied the river occupancy permit for the installation of park golf facilities at Anyangcheon, citing concerns that excessive facilities may affect the maintenance and management of the river, causing difficulties for the district in advancing the project.

According to Article 3 of the Detailed Standards for River Occupancy Permits, permits for installing waterfront facilities can be granted within the scope that does not interfere with the maintenance and management of the river. Anyangcheon, which experiences flooding damage two to three times a year, actually supports faster natural recovery than other sports facilities because park golf members themselves make flood damage restoration efforts to protect the grass.

Yeongdeungpo-gu was the first in South Korea to open a 9-hole park golf course in May 2004 on the Han River embankment in Yeouido, earning the nickname "the origin of park golf." It has about 1,400 members, the largest number among Seoul’s districts. Marking the 20th anniversary of park golf introduction this year, the district is striving to become a true "park golf mecca."

At this council meeting, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon submitted a proposal requesting that the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Council of District Mayors jointly respond to the national river occupancy permit for park golf course expansion, which was approved.

Accordingly, it was announced that in early August, the 25 district mayors of Seoul will jointly meet with the Minister of Environment.

Despite the rapid increase in park golf users, the supply rate of park golf courses in Seoul remains the lowest nationwide and is severely insufficient. Considering Seoul’s high land prices and the necessity to maximize the use of riversides near residential areas, the district plans to actively consult with the Ministry of Environment, citing the realities of a large city.

District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon said, “I am grateful that this agenda was approved at the Seoul Metropolitan Council of District Mayors and that a unified opinion on joint response was gathered. Anyangcheon is the best sports space in Yeongdeungpo, which has no mountains, and is the optimal location to establish a 36-hole park golf course, a prerequisite for hosting national tournaments in Seoul. We will continue to do our best to promote residents’ health and ensure a vibrant old age for seniors.”