Legal Issues of Urban Parks as a Reservation Area in the Initial Legislation on Urban Parks in Korea and the Implementation of the Park Act (1967–1980)

Abstract

The Park Act (1967~1980) was the first law to define urban parks in Korea. The urban parks of that time were similar to a reservation area used for other purposes after giving regulation. Because 'the urban park as a reservation area' in the past is a repeated park issue in the present, it is necessary to consider the issues of the original law system that created the cause. From this perspective, this study analyzed the legislation to reserve an urban park by collecting bills and information about the factual relationship between 1960•70s park issues and the Park Act. Analysis showed that the reason for the adoption of different kinds of urban parks in the law of a nature park is that a negative list separated from the Urban Planning Act is required to curb private usage. Inherent in the Park Act, however, was the problem of allowing the encroachment of urban parks by governmental power. ① The Park Act sets out a wide range of cases to abolish urban park. ② Unclear setting of governmental power could abuse the urban park. ③ Insufficient standards were able to erode the urban park with large for-profit facilities. ④ The inactivity of the Urban Public Park Committee had reduced democratic decision-making and professional judgement on park issues. Therefore, the Park Act was characterized as infringing on the environment and right to urban parks and took a passive attitude in creating parks and in citizen usage thereof. The Park Act had limitations as a progenitor for establishing the characteristics and concepts of urban parks.