ROK Government Asks for Return of Land that the Dragon Hill Lodge is Sitting On
It looks like the end of the Dragon Hill Lodge may happen in the near future:
The government is in talks with U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) about having the site of Yongsan Garrison’s Dragon Hill Lodge returned to South Korea in exchange for an alternative plot of land, sources said Monday.
According to foreign and defense ministry officials, the two sides have been in negotiations to return a 105,000 square-meter site hosting Dragon Hill Lodge, situated next to the presidential office in central Seoul, to the South Korean government.
In return, Seoul will provide a plot of land at a different site.
The sources said the two sides are expected to reach an agreement in the near future.
Seoul and Washington had previously planned to retain a U.S. military base at the Dragon Hill Lodge site to host a liaison office for USFK and the United Nations Command as well as a front office for the ROK/US Combined Forces Command in the wake of the U.S. forces’ relocation to Pyeongtaek.
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
They’ve got “just the spot” near Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do…
Of course there’s no parking and the roads might be a bit narrow and you can’t build anything…
I didn’t realize Dragon Hill Lodge was still standing.
I’ve stayed there many times over the years and always loved it, but after being there in April, it needs to go.
It just feels sad, the foot traffic is minimal, no longer are there high ranking officers conducting meetings, civilians or family members with kids running the halls, or soldiers newly arriving in Korea, now it’s catered to long-term stays for retirees.
The interior is running down. We stayed in a suite on the top floor in April and the bathroom was falling apart. The carpet in the hallway on the third floor going to the Point was replaced by cheap vinyl plank wood flooring, giving it the feel of a Super 8. The ’80’s called the Point and asked for their neon lights and pastel colors back.
As nice as it may have been at one time, it’s easy to see the difference between a for-profit hotel like the Hyatt that plows profits back for greater earnings and a not-for-profit govt lodge that tries to balance ‘pretty nice’ with affordability for clientele that don’t have the deep pockets like the Hyatt’s.
In the end, it’s just a sad anachronism of a time gone by and it needs to be replaced with something new, modern, and fresh.
point of keeping the DHL was to be like a New Sano in Tokyo. Military members could travel and stay in the wonderful national capitol of Korea and escape the dreary existence at CP Humphreys or other site they are stationed. Unless they make a new facility in Seoul (not likely due to Korean communist protestors), a replacement facility is pointless.
Thanks for your perspective, Bob.
Last time I saw the DHL was in the 90s. It was a lifesaver then.
Guess that time has passed.
DHL fundamentally is a MWR facility that was built with US money long before SMA was even thought of. It is the only oasis for many US personnel deployed above the no-smile line. It is true that it gets very little traffic but mostly due to COVID and a break away from direct meetings with MND and other agencies in Seoul. I’m sure we will give it away for nothing more than “good will” that will be gone faster than a snowflake in August.
President Yoon promised to turn the former USFK areas into a park so that there will be ‘no barriers’ between the people and his office building.
And that promise won’t be complete with the DHL still under US control.