Despite Los Angeles Koreatown’s high population density, concerns are growing over the severe lack of green space needed to support residents’ quality of life. As a result, calls are mounting to expand Seoul International Park, located at the heart of Koreatown, to provide residents with more breathing room.
Koreatown’s population density is also among the highest in Los Angeles. About 124,000 people live within 2.7 square miles, equating to approximately 42,600 people per square mile. That’s nearly double the population density of Hollywood, which sees heavy foot traffic and has 22,150 residents per square mile. This density stems from a combination of factors, including the concentration of commercial and residential buildings, numerous restaurants and shopping centers, and convenient access to the LA Metro’s B and D subway lines.
However, despite this high population concentration, Koreatown has only four parks—including Seoul International Park—and all of them are relatively small. Lafayette Park and Liberty Park raise safety concerns due to homeless encampments, while the Chateau Recreation Center is mostly filled with sports facilities, limiting its use for general leisure. In contrast, Seoul International Park is relatively safe, centrally located, and highly accessible, making it a key site for potential green space expansion.
Shin Young-Shin, President of the Koreatown Senior & Community Center located immediately to the right of Seoul International Park, stated, “There used to be many homeless people, but the LAPD Olympic Station now patrols the area nearly 10 times a day, which has helped create a much safer environment.”
Currently, Seoul International Park is the only park in Koreatown under active expansion discussions at the Los Angeles City Council level. In September of last year, Councilmember Heather Hutt (District 10) introduced a motion to close adjacent Irolo Street and Normandy Avenue to double the size of the park. “The expansion will provide fresh air and open space for both residents and visitors,” she said, emphasizing the importance of securing more green space. After being re-elected in November, Hutt is expected to continue pushing the proposal during her new term.
Residents of Koreatown expressed their delight at the expansion plan. Park Min-Jun, a 24-year-old Korean American man, said, “Among the parks in Koreatown, Seoul International Park is the only one that includes a Korean place name in its name, which makes it meaningful. It is also located more or less in the center of Koreatown,” and added, “I hope that the expansion of the space will allow the park to be used not only for Korean festivals but also for a wider variety of purposes.”
Korean American senior Kim Wan-Ki said, “Although I do go for walks around Seoul International Park, there isn’t enough green space,” and added, “I hope that with the expansion of green space, I will have more opportunities to take walks.”
Meanwhile, Sean Mo, co-CEO of Andmore Partners, stressed that the expansion of Seoul International Park should go beyond merely increasing its physical size. He noted that the park serves as a symbolic gateway to Koreatown and emphasized the importance of integrating the park with nearby facilities, such as the senior center, in a way that promotes harmony and mutual benefit within the community.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
