Will the '2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan' Boost the Seongsu Strategic Maintenance Zone Project?

[Seoul District News] Seongdong-gu Positively Evaluates Seoul's '2040 Seoul Urban Basic Plan' Announced on the 3rd; Introduces Innovative 'Beyond Zoning' Concept Revising Current Land Use Zones... Mayor Jung Won-oh Welcomes Abolition of '35-Story Height Limit,' Undergrounding of Elevated Rail Sections, and Newly Proposed Walkable Daily Zones

Seongsu-dong Area Panorama

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (District Mayor Jung Won-oh) expressed a welcoming stance on the ‘2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan’ announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 3rd, stating, “We positively evaluate that many urban planning policies that had faced limitations have found a breakthrough.”

On the 3rd, Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced the ‘2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan,’ which will serve as various urban planning guidelines that Seoul will pursue until 2040, along with six spatial plans to improve citizens’ quality of life and strengthen Seoul’s urban competitiveness.

In particular, by introducing the innovative ‘Beyond-zoning’ concept that completely reorganizes the current zoning system, which is largely divided into residential, commercial, industrial, and green areas, a foundation was laid for three-dimensional and complex development of urban spaces.

The plan includes easing the so-called ‘35-floor height limit’ regulation that has been applied to riverside apartments along the Han River for the past eight years. District Mayor Jung Won-oh said, “Through previous interviews, I have stated that abolishing the ‘35-floor height limit’ while maintaining the floor area ratio but lowering the building coverage ratio can create various skylines, satisfying the demand for high-density development along the Han River while securing views,” expressing his welcome.

Since Seongdong-gu borders the longest waterfronts in Seoul, including Jungnangcheon, Cheonggyecheon, and the Han River, the district believes that Seoul’s plan for ‘waterfront-centered spatial reorganization,’ which aims to create spaces that highlight the charm of each waterfront and improve citizens’ accessibility, will positively contribute to urban development.

District Mayor Jung Won-oh stated, “We also highly welcome the undergrounding of the above-ground sections of the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which caused regional disconnection and commercial area decline, as well as the above-ground sections of Line 2, which have long been a local wish, as part of the ‘2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan.’ The undergrounding of above-ground rail sections is a task that must be realized to secure new development momentum for the region.”

Lastly, regarding the newly introduced concept of ‘Walking Daily Life Zone,’ Seongdong-gu views the recently emerging Seongsu-dong area as the most optimal region to expect the introduction purpose and effects of the ‘Walking Daily Life Zone.’ By strengthening the ‘Walking Daily Life Zone,’ which integrates existing cultural, industrial, and leisure functions with nearby waterfront spaces, Seongdong-gu expects Seongsu-dong to develop into a dynamic urban space that revitalizes the lives of all Seoul citizens.

However, Seongdong-gu suggested that the ‘future transportation infrastructure expansion’ plan proposed in the ‘2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan’ should also consider the area around Wangsimni Station, a transportation hub with excellent connectivity. This plan involves installing ‘mobility hubs,’ a complex transfer center concept linking future transportation modes, according to spatial hierarchy, to create a three-dimensional transportation city.

Currently, Wangsimni Station, served by Lines 2 and 5, Suin-Bundang and Gyeongui-Jungang Lines, and the upcoming Dongbuk Line, is the largest transportation transfer hub in northeastern Seoul, with about 180 million annual transfer passengers. Recently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed the addition of Wangsimni Station to the GTX-C line, further strengthening its role as the northeastern hub. Therefore, Seongdong-gu explains that Wangsimni Station should become the central transfer point as a ‘metropolitan mobility hub.’

Additionally, following this announcement, the ‘Seongsu area,’ which will serve as the starting point of the ‘Youth Advanced Axis’ among the ‘4 New Growth Innovation Axes,’ is rapidly growing new industries such as ICT, digital content, and nano (NT) industries centered on the Seongsu IT Industry Distribution Development Promotion District. Seongdong-gu is currently establishing a promotion plan to foster these new growth industries.

District Mayor Jung Won-oh said, “Considering Seoul’s recent development and the fact that areas with similar characteristics, such as Guro and Magok, which have led Seoul’s urban industries as semi-industrial zones along with Seongsu-dong, are included as major industrial hubs, we propose fostering this area as a new growth industrial hub linking the northeastern Youth Advanced Innovation Axis and the southeastern Future Convergence Innovation Axis.”

The Seongsu-dong area has recently attracted young people and is home to well-known cultural content, fashion, and IT companies. Despite the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, it has recorded a 0% vacancy rate in commercial spaces near Ttukseom, emerging as the economic center of the northeastern region. Therefore, Seongdong-gu believes that including Seongsu-dong in this plan will promote balanced development throughout Seoul.

The Seongsu Strategic Maintenance District, designated as part of the Han River Renaissance Project, had been developing a maintenance plan since 2011 but faced difficulties due to the ‘35-floor height limit’ regulation.

District Mayor Jung Won-oh emphasized, “We expect that the somewhat stalled Seongsu Strategic Maintenance District project will gain new momentum following the ‘2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan.’ We will do our best to ensure smooth project progress through continuous agreements with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and will also cooperate generously to create a green future city blueprint.”

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