A dispute has emerged in Seongnam between the city administration and the civic coalition "Seongnam-eul Pakkunen Siminnyeondae" over the status of the auto campsite in Yuldong Park, which opened in June 2025. The city insists the facility is a park structure under the Parks and Green Areas Act and that changing its zoning from green to natural area is required for registration under the Tourism Promotion Act. The coalition argues the campsite exceeds the permitted area of 10,000 square meters and is therefore illegal, demanding a reduction in size rather than a zoning change. According to the coalition, the campsite covers about 30,000 square meters, three times the limit.
In July, the authorities sent a request to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism via Gyeonggi Province. In responses to inquiries, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that even park campsites are subject to registration under the Tourism Promotion Act, supporting the coalition's position. An official clarification is expected to determine the outcome. Registering the campsite as a tourist facility would expand insurance coverage to an unlimited amount instead of the current 500 million won per incident.
According to Gyeonggi Province, the special judicial police have been investigating the campsite since late June on suspicion of operating without registration and exceeding the permitted area. The city has begun a procedure to change the land designation from a green conservation area to a natural green area, which has drawn criticism as an attempt to legalize violations retroactively. In response, the city said it is merely an administrative procedure to resolve legislative uncertainty.
The investigation also concerns possible involvement of city officials in managing the facility.