Gimpo Jangneung Apartment Cultural Heritage Committee Review Deferred Again

De Facto Half-Hearted Review... Only Daebang Construction Agenda Discussed
Geumseong Baekjo: "Will Seek Court Judgment on Whether It Is Subject to Review"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Cultural Heritage Committee once again failed to reach a conclusion on the apartment construction case built without permission in the Gimpo Jangneung Historical and Cultural Environment Preservation Area.

On the 9th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that during the 3rd joint meeting of the Royal Tombs Cultural Heritage Subcommittee and the World Heritage Subcommittee held at the National Palace Museum, they discussed the change of appearance proposal submitted only by Daebang Construction but decided to postpone the review. They reviewed the construction company's improvement plan and simulations prepared by the Cultural Heritage Administration but delayed the review once again. Previously, there were two reviews regarding the change of appearance for the residential complex development at Gimpo Jangneung. A change of appearance refers to actions that alter the current state of cultural heritage and its surrounding environment. For nationally designated cultural heritage, the Cultural Heritage Committee conducts the review.

The meeting was effectively a half-hearted review. This was because Daekwang ENC (construction by Daekwang Geonyeong) and JS Global (construction by Geumseong Baekjo), which had undergone two previous reviews, withdrew their change of appearance applications the day before. Geumseong Baekjo stated, "Incheon Urban Corporation, which obtained permission for change of appearance for the land in 2014, consistently confirmed that the housing project plan by the construction company is legal," adding, "We intend to seek a court ruling on whether this matter falls under the scope of change of appearance review."

The "2nd Royal Tombs-World Heritage Joint Subcommittee" reviewing the development of apartment complexes around the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site 'Gimpo Jangneung' was held privately on the 28th at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The height limit for changes of appearance in the historical and cultural environment preservation area of Gimpo Jangneung, a nationally designated cultural heritage site and UNESCO World Heritage, is 20 meters. The three construction companies built apartments 70 to 80 meters high without submitting individual review applications. When looking ahead from the Jangneung tomb mound, Gyeyangsan Mountain is obscured. According to the geomantic principles of Joseon royal tombs, there is a main mountain (Jusan) behind and an ancestral mountain (Josan) in front. At Gimpo Jangneung, Gyeyangsan is the Josan.

The Cultural Heritage Administration claims that nineteen of the forty-four apartment buildings, out of approximately 3,400 households, fall within the cultural heritage preservation area and did not undergo prior review, violating the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. On the other hand, the construction companies argue that Incheon Urban Corporation, which sold the apartment land in 2014, applied for change of appearance permission from Gimpo City Hall, so there is no issue. They request permission only to change the exterior wall color and design of the apartments.

Currently, construction on twelve apartment buildings by Daekwang ENC and JS Global has been halted since September 30 following a court ruling on the stop-work order issued by the Cultural Heritage Administration. Construction continues on seven apartment buildings by Daebang Construction, which are relatively farther from Jangneung.

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