Housing Supply Plan Hindered by Protests Against 'Public-Led' Initiative

Protests Against Public Redevelopment at Key Candidate Sites like Heukseok 2 and Sinseol 1 on the 23rd
Urban Public Housing Complex Projects Face Continued Resident Opposition
Growing Distrust in Housing Supply as Displacement Areas Increase

[Asia Economy Reporters Onyu Lim, Taemin Ryu] The government's plans to expand housing supply are hitting walls in various places. Although policy efforts are focused on expanding supply, such as unveiling new housing sites of '130,000 units + α' by the end of this month, not only new public housing sites but also public redevelopment and urban public complex development projects are showing signs of friction. Criticism is emerging that the limitations of one-sided supply measures without resident opinion gathering procedures are being exposed.

According to the real estate industry on the 23rd, some residents of Heukseok 2 District in Dongjak-gu, Sinseol 1 District in Dongdaemun-gu, and part of Geumho 23 District in Seongdong-gu formed an emergency countermeasure committee against public redevelopment and held a press conference in front of Seoul City Hall this morning. They also plan to deliver an open inquiry letter to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

Public redevelopment is a new supply method proposed by the government in the August 4th measures last year. The public sector participates in redevelopment projects and supplies up to 50% of the units, excluding those for association members, as rental housing in exchange for various incentives. Heukseok 2 District and Sinseol 1 District were selected as first-round candidate sites, and Geumho 23 District as a second-round candidate site.

The emergency committee stated, "Seoul City, Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), and Seoul Housing Corporation (SH) are attempting to infringe on private property rights by ignoring landowners' opinions," and demanded, "The public redevelopment project, which is being hastily pushed forward by depriving residents of their living spaces and infringing on the property rights of the majority of landowners, must be stopped immediately."

Earlier, on the 14th, the Yeouido Residents' Council held a protest in front of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) site opposing public development. According to the August 4th measures, the government is promoting a project to build 300 public housing units on the LH site located between the 63 Building and St. Mary's Hospital in Yeouido. However, residents argue that "the rental housing construction plan seriously conflicts with Seoul City's existing plans." The council conducted two large-scale petition campaigns, and currently, over 8,000 residents have signed a petition expressing opposition.

The council particularly opposed the fact that the project is proceeding without any procedures such as resident viewing or opinion gathering. Chairperson Jo Jae-sook said, "Yeouido residents have struggled to live in apartments over half a century old, threatened by safety issues due to government and Seoul City regulations blocking reconstruction," adding, "We feel betrayed by the government proceeding without basic communication with residents. Without communication procedures, we have no choice but to raise our voices in this way."

As residents' opposition intensified earlier, the plan to supply 4,000 units at Gwacheon Government Complex has already fallen apart. Furthermore, the largest-scale plan of 10,000 units at Taereung Golf Course in Nowon-gu is facing severe opposition due to environmental destruction and traffic chaos, raising concerns about disruptions to supply plans.

Requests to Withdraw Public Complex Development Candidate Sites Continue... Supply Plans Disrupted

The urban public housing complex project, a core part of the February 4th measures, is also facing difficulties as opposition from candidate site residents is mounting. Residents near Yaksu Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, selected as the 6th candidate site for the urban public housing complex project, formed an emergency countermeasure committee on the 14th to request project withdrawal and joined the '3080 Public-led Opposition Alliance (Gongbanyeon),' a group opposing urban public housing complex development. The Yaksu station area is planned for a large-scale supply of 1,324 units.

A representative of the Yaksu station emergency committee said, "Residents' private property rights are being infringed as the site was suddenly designated as a candidate without proper preliminary investigation or resident consent," adding, "We plan to collect consent from residents who oppose the project and officially request the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to withdraw the project."

Strong resident opposition is also emerging in other areas opposing the project. Recently, starting from the Yaksu station area, residents near Yeongdeungpo Station, east side of Miasageori, Sin-gil 15 District, east side of Mia Station, and Incheon Gulpo Stream have expressed intentions to join Gongbanyeon. Notably, residents of Daejeon Daedeok-gu, a candidate site for the residential regeneration innovation district under the February 4th measures, have also opposed the project.

Introduced for the first time through the February 4th measures earlier this year, the urban public housing complex project is a public-led development project aimed at improving the viability of underdeveloped areas where self-development is difficult. Since then, 56 candidate sites have been announced over six rounds. Gongbanyeon stated that it currently participates in solidarity at nearly half of these, 26 sites.

As resident opposition intensifies nationwide, there is growing concern that more areas may withdraw from the project. Seo Jin-hyung, president of the Korea Real Estate Society (professor at Gyeongin Women's University), said, "The project does not proceed simply by designating districts without proper preliminary investigation or resident consent," adding, "If the number of areas requesting project withdrawal continues to increase as it is now, there is a high possibility that supply plans will be disrupted."

As noise around the government's housing supply measures grows, criticism is emerging that distrust in housing supply is causing housing prices in the metropolitan area to soar. Kim Hak-ryeol, director of SmartTube Real Estate Research Institute, said, "Even if the government pioneers new housing sites in the middle of Yongsan while the already announced sites are slow to proceed, what meaning would that have?" adding, "Even if they announce supplying 10 million units through new sites, housing prices will not be controlled."

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