[Report] "Leaving It Alone Is Helping" O Se-hoon's Tears... Thoughts of Sewoon Sangga Merchants

Seun Redevelopment Promotion District Sparks Policy Reversal Between Oh Se-hoon and Park Won-soon
Oh: "Tears of Anger Watching Jongno 2-ga and Cheonggyecheon... Looking at Seun District Feels Like Vomiting Blood"
Seun Sangga Merchants: "Stop Wasting Taxes on Useless Things," "Thanks to This, the Young Generation Has Increased"

An aerial walkway connecting Sewoon Sangga and Cheonggye Sangga as part of the 'Again Sewoon Project' initiated by former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. Photo by So Young Kim sozero815@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim So-young] "People are already suffering enough and enduring it, so stop throwing stones on top of that!"

On the 18th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon harshly criticized the urban regeneration project in downtown Seoul that the late former Mayor Park Won-soon had been promoting, and announced that a new plan would be presented by the first half of next year. This remark was made regarding the 'Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District,' where the policy directions of Mayor Oh and former Mayor Park clashed. Merchants around the Sewoon Shopping Center, whom we met on site, unanimously agreed that a project that practically helps ordinary citizens should be pursued, regardless of political parties or policies.

Mayor Oh said in response to a question at the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the same day, "Around early August, I went up above the Sewoon Shopping Center and looked at Jongno 2-ga and Cheonggyecheon, shedding tears of anger. I was at a loss for words on how to describe the Seoul city administration that had to neglect this area for 10 years," adding, "Looking at the Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District, I feel like vomiting blood."

Previously, during his tenure as Seoul mayor in 2006, Mayor Oh designated the Sewoon Shopping Center area as a redevelopment promotion district and, in 2009, established a redevelopment promotion plan centered on demolishing the Sewoon Shopping Center complex and integrating development of eight surrounding zones. However, after former Mayor Park took office, the demolition plan was canceled in 2014, and the redevelopment promotion plan was changed to focus on urban regeneration. The following year, the 'Again Sewoon Project' was launched, including plans to install a 1km-long aerial walkway connecting seven buildings from Sewoon Shopping Center to Toegye-ro Jinyang Shopping Center.

Regarding the aerial walkway, Mayor Oh said, "Since more than 70% of the construction has already been completed, we couldn't stop it, but once finished, it will become another big nail that blocks downtown development," adding, "Even if a new plan is made, I shed tears of blood because I cannot see the completion of the plan made 10 years ago."

Sewoon 4 District, undergoing redevelopment through the urban environment maintenance project. Photo by So-Young Kim sozero815@

On the 19th, merchants near the Sewoon Shopping Center, whom we met while visiting the area, expressed frustration over the confusion caused by the development plans. Currently, redevelopment is underway in Sewoon District 4, where an urban environment improvement project is scheduled.

At the site, merchants voiced complaints about the repeatedly overturned policies causing confusion. Mr. Kim (64), who has operated an audio-related business in Sewoon Shopping Center for 40 years, raised his voice, saying, "Leaving things as they are is the way to help. Our right to survive is at stake. Just leave it to market principles and provide a control tower." He added, "Mayor Oh demolished half of the Sewoon Shopping Center here. Everyone there is now unemployed," emphasizing, "If they had just restored and regenerated it as it was, people would still be making a living."

Regarding the current regeneration project, he said, "Merchants strongly support it because they want to keep their livelihoods. Everyone who does business feels the same. I think everything should be left to market principles. No change happens if someone interferes here. Advertising and promotion are what help," he said.

He then criticized, "Suddenly, I get angry again. Why destroy the project that Mayor Park passionately embroidered? Why treat policies so recklessly? Someone should research how to gather even one person in this shopping area to create jobs. For the sake of ordinary people, policies should not be decided so carelessly."

However, he was the only merchant to express a positive view about the aerial walkway. He said, "Thanks to it, many young people come to Sewoon Shopping Center. Young people feel fascinated walking around here," adding, "Actually, good parking facilities are needed for young people to come, but it's inconvenient now."

Stores around Sewoon Sangga area. Unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by So-Young Kim sozero815@

A merchant who has operated an electrical-related business in Sewoon Shopping Center for 50 years, who requested anonymity, raised his voice, saying, "People are already dissatisfied, so why touch it again? Whether Park Won-soon was right or wrong, people are already suffering and enduring enough, so stop throwing stones on top of that."

He said, "The root cause started with the restoration of Cheonggyecheon. I fought with Lee Myung-bak for 10 years back then. I still don't understand how the lives of ordinary people are manipulated by politicians and self-righteous mayors," expressing anger, "I don't know what right they have to do that. They shouldn't change the lives of ordinary people at will. They change things but don't take responsibility. They change and discard."

He also pointed out, "Whenever the regime changes, they try to abolish everything that was done before. All of that is taxpayer money. Because of this (regeneration project), rents here have skyrocketed," he said. He added, "Commercial districts and residential areas are different issues. Commercial districts don't develop because the government pushes them; they form because people gather out of necessity. Interfering with that and saying 'Give me your old house, and I'll give you a new one' is wrong."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "Merchants don't have retirement pay. Their retirement pay is earned by maintaining their commercial district well and receiving goodwill payments when they leave. The principle is to listen to the voices of people who have lived in the area for a long time."

Mr. Ahn Seok-tap (61), chairman of the Sewoon Shopping Center Market Association on the first floor, who has been in Sewoon Shopping Center for 48 years, said, "Why spend money on useless things? Regardless of political parties, projects should be something people can use and respond to," adding, "Whether it's Mayor Oh or former Mayor Park, they shouldn't force things just because they want to do something."

An aerial walkway connecting Sewoon Sangga and Cheonggye Sangga as part of the 'Again Sewoon Project' initiated by former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. Photo by So-yeong Kim sozero815@

Chairman Ahn lamented about the urban regeneration project, "(Because of this) rents have gone up. The prices of stores on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors were very cheap but have all increased." Regarding other surrounding conditions such as walkway improvements, he said, "How many bicycles run on the first floor? They removed the sidewalk and made a bicycle-only road, which worsened vehicle traffic. Many things like the first-floor history museum and second-floor youth stores are not properly utilized after being built. Why spend tens of billions of won on such things? I think it's a waste of taxpayers' money." He showed a sharp stance on the aerial walkway, saying, "Who goes there now? Who?"

He explained, "Sewoon Shopping Center's parking is very inconvenient, and everyone who comes here struggles because of the parking. It would have been much better to build a parking lot. Now, they made something useless that is not properly utilized."

He added, "If something is done properly and shows development, it can continue, but if there is no effect compared to the billions of won spent, it should be stopped. Stopping is right and natural. Even if the mayor changes, you shouldn't change things back and forth, but Mayor Oh said he would leave what former Mayor Park did as it is and not push further. That seems right."

However, he urged, "We should plan to maximize the use and revitalization of existing things. If people who have been here for decades are provided with some livelihood, there is no reason to oppose it. But if they push through recklessly without doing that, it should never be allowed."

An information notice introducing the 'Dasi Sewoon Project' space is posted on the 3rd floor of Sewoon Sangga. Photo by So Young Kim sozero815@

When we went up to the third floor where the aerial walkway, which had been a point of disagreement among merchants, was built, there was a bridge connecting Sewoon Shopping Center and Cheonggye Shopping Center, allowing smooth movement between buildings. However, the number of pedestrians using this walkway was somewhat low. During lunchtime, one office worker passing through said, "Unless you're coming to find a good restaurant, you hardly come here. It's especially scary at night," adding, "It's just good for eating and taking a short walk."

Meanwhile, Seoul City has completed bidding for the 'Sewoon District Maintenance and Management Plan Establishment Service' and is conducting technical services to redraw the blueprint for the development of the Sewoon District over the next 10 years. Mayor Oh said, "If the plan I set when I left office 10 years ago had been implemented, the appearance of downtown Seoul would have completely transformed," adding, "I will establish a plan for the future of Jongno, Cheonggyecheon, Euljiro, and Toegye-ro in a form that Seoul citizens agree with by the first half of next year."

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