Strong Local Opposition to Taereung Development... Government Supply Measures Likely Delayed Until Next Month

Delay in Agreement Between Central Ministries and Local Governments
Target Site Yet to Be Decided

Condensed into Two Options: Development of National/Public Idle Land and Increasing Floor Area Ratio

[Asia Economy Reporters Inho Yoo and Chunhee Lee] Although the government’s real estate supply measures are taking shape, it is reported that last-minute difficulties are continuing over the selection of target sites. This is because the government and local governments have not been able to narrow their differences regarding major supply candidate sites. As a result, the announcement of the supply measures, originally expected this month, is likely to be postponed until early next month.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 28th, the government’s real estate supply measures are largely narrowed down to two: development of national/public land and idle sites in downtown Seoul, and increasing floor area ratios. The government’s policy is to secure the maximum supply volume by significantly raising the floor area ratios in Seoul and the metropolitan area, which have been restricted, while developing developable land such as government- and military-owned golf courses and sites of national/public institutions.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is discussing with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and related ministries a plan to supply additional housing by developing idle sites and national research institute sites and other national/public facilities within Seoul. Major candidate sites include the 830,000㎡ Taereung Golf Course in Nowon-gu, Seoul, the Hongneung Research Complex in Dongdaemun-gu, the Seoul Institute, the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center site, and Seoul Metropolitan Government-owned sites in Mapo-gu’s Digital Media City (DMC). The Anyang Prison and Uiwang Detention Center sites in Gyeonggi Province are also under consideration.

As the government actively moves to expand housing supply following the July 10 real estate measures, it is discussing plans to build housing on the Taereung Golf Course site owned by the Ministry of National Defense. The photo shows the Taereung Golf Course in Nowon-gu, Seoul, on the 21st. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

However, it is known that major candidate sites are facing opposition in various places. In the case of the Taereung Golf Course, a strong backlash from local residents arose immediately after the development plan was announced, prompting frontline local governments to start public opinion surveys. There is concern that if local residents’ opposition intensifies, the project could be prolonged.

Increasing the floor area ratio is also a concern. The plan is to change residential areas to quasi-residential areas and raise the allowable floor area ratio from 400% to up to 800%. A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official stated, “Regarding the increase in floor area ratio, if the floor area ratio of quasi-residential areas is raised, it cannot be raised only in Seoul but must be raised nationwide, so careful consideration is needed.”

Meanwhile, the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government are reviewing a plan to increase the floor area ratio of the Yongsan Railroad Maintenance Depot site, whose development plan was announced last May, raising the number of housing units from the existing 8,000 to 10,000. In addition to the existing 3rd New Towns such as Namyangju Wangsuk and Hanam Gyosan, there is also speculation about the possibility of increasing floor area ratios in planned newlywed hope towns such as Seongnam Bokjeong and Guri Galmae.

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