Seocho-gu Bangbae-dong Naebang Station Area Transforms into a Business, Commercial, and Cultural Hub

On the 13th, Seoul City Urban and Architecture Joint Committee reviewed and approved the district unit plan for 210,000㎡ around Naebang Station in Bangbae-dong

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The area around Naebang Station in Bangbae-dong, which has been relatively inconvenient in terms of transportation and slow in development, often called a "barren land within Gangnam," is expected to transform into a hub for business, commerce, and culture.

Seocho-gu (Mayor Cho Eun-hee) announced that on the 13th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban and Architectural Joint Committee approved with modifications the "Naebang Station Area District Unit Plan," which designates 212,854㎡ around the Naebang Station intersection in Bangbae-dong as a special planning (possible) zone and upgrades it to a semi-residential area.

This district unit plan focuses on developing the Naebang Station area as a neighborhood center supporting the Bangbae living zone, establishing living SOC (Social Overhead Capital), and enhancing self-sufficiency functions.

The area can apply a floor area ratio of up to 400%, allowing buildings to be constructed up to 70 meters high. Cultural facilities such as cinemas, small performance halls, shopping malls, and large supermarkets, as well as convenience facilities, will be established. Additionally, through the donation of public land, various public infrastructure such as parking lots and daycare centers can be created.

Furthermore, the plan includes provisions to relax building area restrictions on office, cultural, and assembly facilities around Seocho-daero and Bangbae-ro.

In particular, with the passage of this district unit plan, the district expects to create an All-in-village lifestyle zone?a modern trend where residents can enjoy shopping, leisure, and cultural activities all at once near their homes without having to travel far.

Moreover, once the Naebang Station area district unit plan materializes, it will be linked with various urban planning projects such as the opening of the Seoripul Tunnel and the development of a high-quality complex business and cultural center on the former Intelligence Service site above the tunnel (“Seoripul District Unit Plan”), and the eco-friendly residential complex development of “Seongdui Village Public Development.” These synergies are expected to transform the Bangbae-dong area into a new urban center by reshaping the city’s broader framework.

Also, Seocho-daero, the future development axis of Seocho-gu connecting Gangnam, Naebang Station, and Isu Station, will see improvements in pedestrian environments considering the continuity of walking spaces. The district plans to devise street activation measures to promote growth in harmony with surrounding redevelopment areas, making it one of the prominent economic and cultural axes where culture, relaxation, and shopping spaces coexist, allowing diverse leisure activities.

The reason Seocho-gu established the Naebang Station area district unit plan is due to the fact that 79% of the area consists of low-rise multi-family housing over 20 to 30 years old, resulting in concentrated aging housing and poor residential environments due to a lack of various convenience and urban infrastructure facilities.

Additionally, with the opening of the nearby Seoripul Tunnel in April last year, the living zones of Seocho and Bangbae areas, which had been divided east-west for about 40 years, have been connected, increasing foot traffic and transportation volume. Future plans include developing an eco-friendly complex cultural district on the land above the tunnel, allowing flexible responses to changes in the surrounding environment.

Accordingly, the district conducted research projects for over two years starting in 2015, followed by joint city-district briefings and three rounds of preliminary consultations with Seoul City, incorporating supplementary opinions comprehensively into the district unit plan.

Going forward, the district plans to re-announce the district unit plan for public review in June and officially decide and promulgate it by August.

Seocho-gu Mayor Cho Eun-hee stated, “With the decision on this district unit plan, we will strive to shed the image of Bangbae as a bedroom town, which has been relatively neglected compared to Banpo and Seocho areas, and transform it into an economic and cultural center by utilizing new potential regional resources.” She added, “We will systematically establish residential environments and living infrastructure such as economic facilities that residents need, greatly improving the quality of life for residents in the Bangbae-dong area.”

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