Oh Shin-hwan, Seoul Downtown Development Blueprint... "Solving Non-Gangnam and Old Downtown with a Three-Dimensional City"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Oh Shin-hwan, the People Power Party's preliminary candidate for Seoul mayor, unveiled a blueprint for downtown Seoul development on the 3rd. He promised to solve the issues of balanced development outside Gangnam and old downtown areas through a 'three-dimensional city.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At a press conference at the National Assembly that day, Oh said, "We will fully implement the ‘three-dimensional city plan’ throughout Seoul to restore Seoul's urban competitiveness as a global capital of East Asia and solve the challenges of balanced development outside Gangnam and old downtown issues."

He emphasized, "First, we will promote the ‘X-Cross three-dimensional city development’ that symmetrically connects Gangnam and Gangbuk centered on Yongsan." Oh stated, “The site of the western driving test center in Sangam-dong will be developed into a cultural content cluster linked with Sangam DMC, and the southwestern Line 1 corridor from Geumcheon-gu Office to Noryangjin will be intensively developed as a three-dimensional city to create a ‘K-Startup Corridor’ similar to Tech City in London, UK.” He explained that London’s Tech City was once a slum but is now a startup hub leading the UK’s advanced industries. In particular, he promised to redevelop the Geumcheon-Guro-Yeongdeungpo-Daebang-Noryangjin section using three-dimensional city techniques to transform it into the center of South Korea’s 4th Industrial Revolution in the 21st century.

Regarding the area around Dongbu Expressway and Jungnangcheon Stream, he also pledged to focus on nurturing a youth startup cluster. Considering the presence of 14 universities, he plans to concentrate youth startup support functions there.

Additionally, Oh announced his intention to abolish the Political Vice Mayor system and establish a Future Strategy Vice Mayor position to take on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He said, "We will innovate Seoul’s administration by recruiting future technology and IT experts as the Future Strategy Vice Mayor," and promised, "Under the leadership of the Future Strategy Vice Mayor, we will build an ‘AI-based future transportation system.’"

Regarding specific implementation plans, he presented a schedule to establish urban planning foundations within the first year of his term and achieve visible results within the following four-year term.

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