"Schedule is Urgent" Maintenance Association General Meetings Resume One After Another

Hannam New Town 2 District and Gaepo Jugong 1 Complex Regular General Meeting
Joint Construction Company Briefing Held for Sinbanpo 15th Complex
Proceeding Amid Concerns Over Project Schedule Disruptions

A view of Gaepo Jugong Complex 1 in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Redevelopment zones in Seoul, which had halted their business schedules due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), are gradually resuming their general meetings one after another.

According to industry sources on the 22nd, the redevelopment association of Hannam New Town Zone 2 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, announced through a member notice yesterday that it will hold the regular general meeting, which was postponed due to COVID-19, on the 25th. A representative of the Hannam Zone 2 association explained, "We recommend that those who have visited foreign countries within the last two weeks or have symptoms of fever do not attend," and added, "Only those wearing masks will be allowed to enter the general meeting."

Hannam Zone 2 is a redevelopment complex near Itaewon Station with 1,537 households and passed the Seoul City traffic impact assessment review on the 6th. The goal is to pass the architectural review and project implementation approval within this year. In particular, some association members are reportedly insisting on pushing forward the project, saying that the project implementation approval must be passed before August. This is because, starting in August, the revised enforcement decree of the "Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Act," which raises the mandatory supply ratio cap of rental housing to 30% for redevelopment zones applying for project implementation approval, recently passed the Regulatory Reform Committee of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

The Gaepo Jugong 1 Complex in Gangnam-gu, considered a major reconstruction project with 6,702 households, also announced yesterday that it will hold a management disposition change general meeting on the 28th. The association originally planned to hold the meeting on the 30th of last month but postponed the schedule due to concerns over mass COVID-19 infections and the extension of the grace period for the private land price ceiling system. To minimize face-to-face contact, the Gaepo Jugong 1 Complex plans to hold the meeting in a "drive-thru" format. Members will watch an internet broadcast and vote while seated in their vehicles in a parking lot that can accommodate about 2,000 people. For the agenda to be approved at the management disposition change general meeting, at least 20% of the total association members must attend in person. Considering the number of members (5,132) in this complex, about 1,000 or more must gather on-site.

The Shinbanpo 15th Reconstruction Association in Seocho-gu, which is preparing for the contractor selection process, is also pushing ahead with the postponed joint construction company briefing session and plans to hold the contractor selection general meeting on the 23rd. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City originally banned holding general meetings for reconstruction and redevelopment projects until the 18th of next month to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, voices within the association urging to expedite the schedule due to increased project costs caused by delays in the project schedule grew louder, leading to the decision to proceed with the general meeting. The Seocho District Office also stated that it would allow this on the condition of ensuring safety. A Seocho District Office official said, "In the case of Shinbanpo 15th, it was allowed because it is a small-scale association with 180 members," and added, "We plan to supervise the general meeting while paying maximum attention to quarantine measures such as mask-wearing and maintaining appropriate distancing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.