Seoul Jung-gu Secures 10 Billion KRW for Seoul-style Urban Regeneration Project Competition

Target Area Sindang 5-dong, Prepped Last Year as a Hope Zone Project... 5 Years of Residential and Pedestrian Environment Improvements, Expansion of Infrastructure Such as Parking Lots and Community Facilities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seoyangho) has been selected for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's '2020 Seoul-type Urban Regeneration Project' competition and secured 10 billion KRW in seed money.

The project target area is Sindang 5-dong, and the district will invest 10 billion KRW over the next five years to promote urban regeneration projects tailored to the characteristics of the area.

The Seoul-type urban regeneration project is a project aimed at revitalizing the local community by improving the residential environment of low-rise residential areas and activating the stagnant alley commercial districts, with the local resident community at its core. Sindang 5-dong was the first area selected in Jung-gu.

Sindang 5-dong is one of the few low-rise residential areas in the downtown area, suffering from a severe population decline (39% compared to 1990), and due to continuous economic recession, the alley commercial district has stagnated, and the local industry ecosystem, such as the garment industry, has collapsed, making it a seriously declining area.

However, not only is there a strong desire for regeneration among residents, but also the area has abundant local resources and potential, such as the 17th Baekhak Festival led by residents, plans for a nearby administrative complex town, and the double station area of Sindang Station, making it a highly promising area for change through urban regeneration.

Since the second half of 2019, the district has been steadily taking preliminary steps for the Seoul-type urban regeneration project by participating in the Seoul Hope Project together with 'Hope Connection Sindang 5-dong' (resident group representatives Do Jeonga, Park Osun, Kim Myeongsik).

The district has worked to strengthen residents' capacity through education while activating various resident communities based on residents' interests to build consensus on urban regeneration among the residents who are the main agents of the project.

Thanks to these efforts, residents have taken the lead in projects such as flowerbed gardening in nearby parks, subway stations, and in front of daycare centers, as well as mural projects to improve alleys with habitual illegal dumping, gradually improving the village environment. The active participation and will of the district and residents played the most important role in being selected for the Seoul-type regeneration project competition.

Going forward, the district plans to use the 10 billion KRW seed money to inject new vitality into Sindang 5-dong by establishing an urban regeneration activation plan with residents starting at the end of this year.

The plan will include projects that provide practical benefits to local residents, such as improving the residential and pedestrian environment centered on resident community activities, expanding infrastructure such as parking lots and community facilities, revitalizing alley commercial districts, and preserving the local industry ecosystem, to be implemented step-by-step until 2024.

An official from the Jung-gu Office's Urban Regeneration Division stated that the 10 billion KRW secured this time is only seed money, and if continuous discovery and introduction of linked projects with the central government and Seoul Metropolitan Government are made, additional support of up to about 30 billion KRW is expected.

Seoyangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "This competition result is an achievement made together through the interest and participation of residents," adding, "We will establish an urban regeneration activation plan and create a sustainable local management system centered on residents to carry out projects such as renovating aging infrastructure, improving housing, and revitalizing local industries together with the residents of Sindang 5-dong. Furthermore, we ask for the continuous participation of residents so that Sindang 5-dong can become a more pleasant and vibrant neighborhood."

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