Yeomyeong School permanent campus construction proceeds amid local opposition

Plans to construct a permanent campus for Yeomyeong School, an alternative school for North Korean defector youth, are proceeding despite local opposition in Seoul. The project aims to build a facility on the site of the former Yeomgang Elementary School in Gangseo-gu.

The construction is set to cost approximately 16 billion won, funded entirely by private resources: 10 billion won from the school and 6 billion won from Hyundai Motor Group. Once completed, the building will be donated to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, which will oversee its operation for 20 years.

Local residents have formed an emergency committee to oppose the project, citing a lack of resident consent and claiming the site was originally intended for temporary use only. However, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated that while they will continue to communicate with residents, there are no plans to change or cancel the project, noting they have no legal obligation to obtain resident consent for the use of school property.

Civil society groups and the school's principal have held press conferences to support the construction, emphasizing the students' right to education and stability. If administrative procedures and reviews by the Seoul Metropolitan Council proceed as planned, the new campus is expected to be completed in the first half of 2029.