"Daegu Dong-gu to Close Dongchon Riverside Soccer Field After 2 Years and 1.4 Billion Won Investment... Councilwoman Noh Namok Says Closure Was Foreseeable but District Pushed Ahead"

Noh Namok, a member of the Daegu Dong-gu Council, strongly criticized the demolition of the Dongchon riverside soccer field during a five-minute speech at the 347th extraordinary session's second plenary meeting held on October 22, pointing out the irresponsibility of the administration and the inefficiency in budget management.

The Daegu Dongchon riverside soccer field was established in May 2023 along the banks of the Geumho River in Bangchon-dong, with 1.4 billion won in national funds invested, in line with District Mayor Yoon Seokjun’s pledge to expand sports and leisure spaces.

Noh Namok, Member of Daegu Dong-gu Council

However, as the site was included in the area designated for the creation of a riverside cultural complex under Daegu City’s 'Geumho River Renaissance Project,' the soccer field is scheduled to be closed from November 2025. While Daegu City announced plans to build alternative facilities nearby, neither the timeline nor the scale has been finalized.

Noh Namok emphasized, "What is even more serious is that this situation was entirely foreseeable." According to Councilwoman Noh, despite Daegu City sending an official letter to Dong-gu District Office in August 2022 requesting prior consultation to prevent overlapping projects, Dong-gu District pressed ahead with the project regardless.

She strongly demanded that responsibility for the project’s implementation process be clearly identified, and called for transparent explanations to residents as well as measures to reduce unnecessary budget spending. She further stated that, in the future, the executive branch must thoroughly review higher-level plans and policies before proceeding with projects to ensure that residents do not suffer repeated harm from administrative mismanagement.

Noh Namok reiterated, "Even the smallest facility is built with taxpayers’ precious money, so we must ensure its value is not wasted," adding, "Responsible administration that earns the trust of residents must be realized."