Creaking Housing Supply Expansion Plan... Gangnam-gu Also Demands 'Withdrawal'

The government has decided to introduce a public reconstruction system and supply a total of 132,000 additional housing units in the metropolitan area through the discovery and expansion of new sites such as Taereung Golf Course in Nowon-gu and the Seoul Medical Center site in Gangnam-gu. The photo shows the Gangnam branch of Seoul Medical Center on the 4th. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] The government's plan to supply public housing in the Seoul metropolitan area, announced through the August 4th measures, is facing consecutive obstacles. Following the idle land at the Gwacheon Government Complex, local governments have also opposed the site of Seoul Medical Center in Samseong-dong, Seoul. This is pointed out as an aftereffect of unilaterally announcing the plan without communication with local governments or residents.

On the 2nd, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City to withdraw the plan to supply 3,000 public housing units through the development of the Seoul Medical Center site in Samseong-dong, included in the government's 'Plan to Expand Housing Supply in the Seoul Metropolitan Area.'

The August 4th measures include a plan to supply 3,000 public housing units by rezoning the 31,543㎡ Seoul Medical Center site from quasi-residential to general commercial area. Jung Soon-gyun, head of Gangnam-gu, stated, "The district unit plan for the International Exchange Complex District established earlier by Seoul City prohibits the construction of multi-family housing on the Seoul Medical Center site," and added, "For securing competitiveness in the MICE industry and creating jobs as presented in the comprehensive development plan for the COEX-Jamsil Sports Complex area, the development should proceed as originally planned."

The city set a goal in 2016 to attract four core functions?international business, MICE, sports, and cultural entertainment?to the site, but the site was included during the search for idle land in Seoul for housing supply. In the August 4th measures, the supply volume increased from 800 units planned in December 2018 to 3,000 units. Local residents who submitted opposition petitions demanding the project proceed as originally planned in 2018 are also currently pushing opposition petitions against this housing supply plan.

Instead, Gangnam-gu proposed forming a practical task force (TF) with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City. The idea is to prepare feasible alternatives by revitalizing existing redevelopment and reconstruction projects, as well as street housing maintenance projects, to secure the insufficient housing supply.

Meanwhile, Gwacheon City opposes the plan to supply 4,000 housing units on the idle land of the Gwacheon Government Complex. Kim Jong-chun, mayor of Gwacheon, said, "The plan to develop the idle land of the Gwacheon Government Complex was announced unilaterally without any prior consultation with Gwacheon City," and has begun a tent sit-in demanding the plan's withdrawal. Seoul's Mapo-gu is also demanding the withdrawal of the plan to supply about 6,200 public housing units in the Sangam-dong area, with residents engaging in collective actions. Citizens opposing the preservation and maintenance of existing plans continue regarding the Nowon-gu Taereung Golf Course and Yongsan-gu Jeongbichang site as well.

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