Incheon Bupyeong Camp Market Opens Gradually After Soil Decontamination... Creating a Rest Area for Citizens

A citizen relaxation space is being created and gradually opened on the site of the former Bupyeong US military base (Camp Market) in Incheon.

Incheon City announced on the 19th that as the Ministry of National Defense's Camp Market Zone B contaminated soil cleanup project is being carried out sequentially, the city will expand the open space for citizens in stages on the cleaned-up site.

Among the Camp Market site returned from the US military in 2019, the city first opened the Zone B playground site (32,800㎡), where soil cleanup was completed, to citizens in May 2021. Then, on the 13th, it expanded the opening by 5,200㎡ northwest of the playground, and plans to additionally open 9,300㎡ around the music creation center north of the playground, where soil cleanup will be completed in the first half of next year.

The Camp Market site opened to citizens has been developed into a nature-friendly relaxation space including walking trails, parks, and flower beds. When the 9,300㎡ site is opened next year, a park green space network of 272,300㎡ in scale will be formed by combining it with the connected Bupyeong Park and Buyeong Park green corridors.

Location of the citizen open space created on the site of the former Bupyeong US military base [Provided by Incheon City]

Camp Market in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, opened in 1939 as a Japanese Army weapons factory called 'Jopyeongchang,' and after liberation in 1945, it was used as a US military base and officially granted to the US Forces Korea in 1951. Although it was decided to be returned to the Korean Ministry of National Defense in 2003, the return was delayed for a long time due to differences in position between the Ministry of National Defense and the US Forces Korea over contaminated soil cleanup issues, and the final return was completed last year.

According to the Korea-US agreement, among the total 440,000㎡, 210,000㎡ of Zones A and B, which include military supply facilities and a baseball field, were returned first in 2019, and the remaining 230,000㎡ of Zone D, including a bakery and warehouses, was returned in December last year. Zone A completed contaminated soil cleanup in December 2023, Zone B is undergoing cleanup, and Zone D will start contaminated soil cleanup next year.

Incheon City has set a goal to create a park reflecting citizens' wishes on 600,000㎡, combining the Camp Market site, Buyeong Park, and surrounding areas totaling 160,000㎡, and is promoting various projects.

A city official said, "The Camp Market site opened so far has established itself as a healing place in the city for local residents not only as a citizen relaxation space but also by hosting various cultural and sports events," adding, "Camp Market will play a pivotal role in the Bupyeong Renaissance by creating a large green space connecting Bupyeong Park and the 3rd Supply Unit."