[Interview] Lee Jeong-hoon, Gangdong-gu Mayor: "A Year to Leap Forward as a Premium Self-Sufficient City"

Starting this year, over 25,000 residents move into Myeongildong and Godeokdong reconstruction complexes, IKEA confirmed for Godeok Biz Valley... Cheonho Seongnae urban renewal promoted, GTX-D metropolitan express railway planned, marking a year of remarkable change and development in Gangdong

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu is undergoing significant changes. With the move-in of reconstruction complexes in Myeongil-dong and Godeok-dong beginning, about 25,000 new residents will take their first steps in Gangdong-gu this year. Additionally, the global company IKEA has confirmed its entry into Godeok Biz Valley.

Along with this, the Cheonho and Seongnae urban redevelopment projects are being promoted, the introduction of the Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX-D) is underway, the 4th phase of Subway Line 9 has received approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and can now be actively pursued, and the extension project of Line 5 is expected to open all sections by the end of this year.

This year, Gangdong-gu is set to experience a year of remarkable change and development. Lee Jeong-hoon, the mayor of Gangdong-gu, said in an interview with Asia Economy, “Gangdong is navigating the wave of change. The biggest theme for Gangdong this year is ‘change and growth.’” He added, “Especially, 2020 marks the halfway point of the 7th elected term and is an important time to prepare for the next decade of a new Gangdong. I want to actively respond to future changes and realize the goal of ‘a happier Gangdong together’ without disparities between regions and social classes.”

First, the Cheonho-daero area starting from Cheonho Station is expected to rise as a new center for commerce and business through the ‘Comprehensive Functional Enhancement Development Plan.’ The functional enhancement service for Cheonho-daero was completed in December last year, establishing detailed plans for strengthening small and medium-sized innovative industrial spaces combining jobs and housing, linking with local specialized resources, fostering customized cultural and leisure functions, and improving metropolitan transportation and smart living environments through infrastructure expansion.

Gangdong-gu plans to change urban management plans such as zoning and height regulations to strengthen the regional central functions of Cheonho-daero and achieve balanced development between the south and north sides of Cheonho-daero.

Also, ‘Gucheonmyeon-ro’ will be revitalized as ‘the most walkable nostalgic street’ reflecting local characteristics through the Gangdong-type urban regeneration project.

Seongnae 2-dong has also been selected for the ‘Seoul-type Urban Regeneration Activation Project’ and will be reborn as a project blending the existing ‘living base’ and ‘culture.’ The mayor said, “From last year to 2023, a total of 10 billion KRW is being invested over five years. Seongnae 2-dong is an area mostly composed of low-rise houses over 20 years old, with a high proportion of young population and single-person households, and has various local resources such as Kangpul Cartoon Street, Angel Workshop Street, and Seongnae Traditional Market. The district plans to improve residential conditions and revitalize the local economy by linking and activating local resources, improving childcare and education conditions, promoting resource circulation through upcycling, and creating anchor facilities.”

The Cheonho and Seongnae urban redevelopment projects will also be actively promoted. The mayor emphasized, “The dazzling growth of the city must not cause another polarization. We will accelerate the urban redevelopment projects in Cheonho and Seongnae, which have relatively lagged in development. Especially this year, promotion projects for Cheonho Redevelopment Promotion Districts 1, 2, and 3, and Cheonho-Seongnae Redevelopment Promotion Districts Seongnae 3, Cheonho 4, and Seongnae 5 will be actively pursued.”

He added, “It is expected that the outdated image of Cheonho-dong will be shed and the local economy revitalized. Cheonho and Seongnae-dong are expected to regain their former glory and serve as the central commercial area along Cheonho-daero.”

In particular, the mayor explained, “For example, the Cheonho 1 Redevelopment Promotion District, which was densely populated with red-light districts, completed relocation in 2020, and once construction begins, by the end of 2023, it will be transformed into a mixed-use complex on a 27,510㎡ site with four 40-story residential-commercial apartment buildings comprising 999 households, 264 officetels, and commercial and office facilities.”

He also hinted that the day is near when Gangdong-gu will rise as a transportation and economic hub in the eastern part of Seoul.

One of Gangdong-gu’s long-standing projects, the 4th phase of Subway Line 9, is also gaining momentum. The mayor said, “The 4th phase of Subway Line 9 has received approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and will be actively pursued. Once opened, it will allow access to Gangnam within 30 minutes, greatly improving transportation convenience for Gangdong residents. We are concentrating all regional capabilities to ensure early construction starts as soon as possible.”

He explained that they plan to actively consult with related agencies to expedite future procedures such as basic and detailed design and construction commencement as soon as possible.

The Metropolitan Area Express Railway project aims to improve transportation welfare for residents and promote regional growth by introducing the fourth line (GTX-D) connecting the western metropolitan area to Gangdong-gu. Gangdong-gu is actively considering establishing a new route so that the GTX, which connects cities and alleviates traffic congestion, can pass through Gangdong-gu, and plans to proactively respond to changes in transportation demand as a central area with a population of 2 million in the eastern metropolitan area.

Furthermore, global companies such as IKEA and Cuckoo Electronics have confirmed their entry into Godeok Biz Valley. On April 8, Kyobo Securities Consortium was selected as the recommended supplier for the self-sufficient Zone 6 (6-1 / one lot of 11,950㎡) designated as a knowledge industry center site within Godeok Biz Valley. The mayor said, “In 2020, we will complete the supply of self-sufficient function facility sites (corporate sites) and sign business agreements for mutual growth with resident companies to ensure that local residents and youth in Gangdong-gu are given priority in employment.”

Also, the Gangdong General Industrial Complex near Sangil IC is expected to be sequentially completed by 2023 after the industrial complex plan approval announcement this year, followed by land compensation, infrastructure construction, and land sales procedures. The mayor emphasized, “We will develop it as a knowledge-based convergence complex integrating advanced technology and engineering industries and create an eco-friendly smart complex leading the 4th Industrial Revolution to revitalize the local economy.”

Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon said, “With the advanced business complex entering the settlement stage and the completion of the two economic complexes by 2023, we expect Gangdong to be reborn as a premium self-sufficient city creating economic value exceeding 20 trillion KRW and employment for over 110,000 people.”

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