Wonju-si’s Camp Long Citizens Park to open on the 31st, bringing former U.S. base back to the public after more than 60 years

【Financial News, Wonju = Reporter Kim Gi-seop】Camp Long, a former U.S. military base in Taejang-dong, Wonju, where citizens had not set foot for more than 60 years, has been transformed into a 330,000-square-meter public park and will open on the 31st.
According to Wonju-si on the 30th, the city has completed all related procedures, including paying the Ministry of National Defense the remaining balance for the land purchase. Registration of ownership of the park site will be fully transferred to Wonju-si early next month.
However, the entire park will not open all at once, as construction is continuing on three public buildings on the site: the Wonju Municipal Art Museum, the Northern Area Youth Culture Center, and the Taejang Complex Sports Center. The city plans to clearly separate construction zones from areas for public use, ensure safety, and then expand the areas open to the public in stages.
The Camp Long Citizens Park project cost 137.4 billion won. The 334,861-square-meter site in Taejang-dong now includes an entrance plaza, a fountain plaza, a lawn plaza, water-play facilities, and a children’s multi-play structure. It is also equipped with a 4.62-kilometer walking trail and a parking lot. The city recently completed all construction work, including landscaping, civil engineering, and electrical work, as well as commissioning and a final safety inspection.
Camp Long is a former base where USFK was stationed after the Korean War until it closed in June 2010, and is a place deeply tied to the joys and sorrows of local residents. Since the comprehensive development plan was approved in 2012, Wonju-si has appealed to the government 108 times for the base’s early return. After the return was announced in 2019, construction began in October 2023, and the work was completed this month, three years later.
After the park opens, its operations will be handled by the Camp Long Citizens Park Operations and Management Team, which is being newly established next January and will be responsible for facility maintenance and visitor safety. The city is preparing storytelling that captures the park’s history with the help of a citizen advisory group launched last August. It also plans to develop a brand identity under the slogan “Camp Long, Again,” apply it to the park’s wayfinding system, and complete follow-up branding projects in stages by the end of 2028, including the renovation of former military facilities.
Wonju-si Mayor Gu Ja-yeol said, “After persuading the government 108 times and going through the return and construction process, citizens are now able to walk freely inside Camp Long.” He added, “We will refurbish the military facilities that retain memories of its time as a U.S. military base and make the park a popular retreat for residents of the northern area and people throughout Wonju-si, as well as a landmark representing the city.”


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