Mokpo City Accelerates Redevelopment Projects in Seosan and Ongeum Districts

Cooperative, Joseon Refractories, and Civic Groups Promote Plan for Mutual Growth through Communication

Seosan and Ongum Districts, Mokpo City (Photo by Mokpo City)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] Mokpo City is expected to accelerate the Seosan·Ongeum District Redevelopment Project.

According to Mokpo City on the 16th, the Seosan·Ongeum District Redevelopment Project is a project aimed at improving residential environments and expanding infrastructure to resolve the long-standing inconveniences of residents living in the Seosan-dong and Ongeum-dong areas, who have been residing in poor housing conditions, and to enhance their quality of life.

The Seosan·Ongeum District, where old houses are densely packed, was announced as a resident-led redevelopment project in 2008, and in 2012, a promotion plan was approved with a plan for high-rise apartments.

However, after the announcement of the redevelopment promotion plan (amendment) in October 2017, conflicts arose in December 2017 when the former Mokpo factory of Chosun Refractories Co., Ltd. was registered as a cultural heritage site.

In 2020, civic groups opposed the New Town-style high-rise apartment development method, citing damage to the view of Yudalsan and the activation of tourism and culture, and requested the cancellation of the promotion zone, leading to disagreements over the development direction and causing the Seosan·Ongeum District Redevelopment Project to stall.

To facilitate smooth project progress and resolve conflicts, the city explained a win-win plan to the association in November last year, and after several consultations, reached a broad agreement on a development direction that lowers the number of apartment floors and mixes low-rise terraces on sites excluding the Chosun Refractories site.

Additionally, the city met with civic groups several times to explain the association’s concessions on the win-win plan and the difficulties faced by association members due to development delays, emphasizing the need to extend the promotion zone cancellation period for Seosan·Ongeum District. Chosun Refractories prepared a plan to renovate and maintain the site as a complex cultural space with approval from the Cultural Heritage Administration. Along with this, the company is currently prioritizing the architectural major repair project at Chosun Refractories.

Through this process, the city extended the promotion zone period for the Seosan·Ongeum District Redevelopment Project until October 5 of next year and is currently promoting a redevelopment promotion plan amendment service based on a basic plan mixing apartments and low-rise terraces.

A city official stated, “Although the Seosan·Ongeum District Redevelopment Project had not progressed for a long time, the establishment of a win-win plan has enabled the project to accelerate,” and added, “We hope the project will proceed smoothly, preserving the landscape of Yudalsan while establishing residential conditions and becoming a complex cultural space.”

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