Kim Kyung-ho, Gwangjin-gu Mayor, Opens the Door Wide to Regional Development

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu in the 8th Civilian Administration, Accelerates Regional Development through Expansion of Commercial Areas

Commercial Area Ranking Among Seoul Districts Jumps from 23rd to 19th in the 8th Civilian Administration

Expansion of Commercial Area by 30,000㎡ in Dongil-ro District, Poised to Become a Youth-Centered Hub

Gunja Station District Establishes Conditions for High-Density Mixed-Use Development in Transit-Oriented Area

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin District

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) is undergoing change.

Since the inauguration of Mayor Kim Kyung-ho in the 8th Civilian Administration, the commercial areas, which form the foundation for regional development, have been expanding.

Gwangjin-gu had been relatively underdeveloped due to a long period without significant development.

However, with Mayor Kim Kyung-ho working in harmony with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during the 8th Civilian Administration and expressing a strong will for development, signs of change have begun to emerge.

First, earlier this year, the district unit plan for the Gunja Station area was finalized and announced, resulting in a 1.5-fold expansion of commercial areas.

Additionally, on the 12th, the Seoul City Urban and Architectural Joint Committee approved the district unit plan for the Dongil-ro area to expand commercial zones, laying the foundation for balanced urban development.

Originally, Gwangjin-gu was developed as a high-end residential area in the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate the rapidly growing urban population, resulting in a very high residential ratio and a notably low proportion of commercial areas.

Now, about 50 years after development, the residential environment has aged due to changes in lifestyle and outdated facilities, necessitating urban planning reorganization. As part of urban spatial restructuring, the commercial areas have been continuously expanded, and Gwangjin-gu’s ranking in commercial area ratio among Seoul’s districts jumped from 23rd to 19th within just one year of the 8th Civilian Administration.

■ Gunja Station Area Transformed into a Business Hub Integrating Commerce, Office, and Culture through Mixed-Use Development

Final Announcement of Gunja Station District Unit Plan (Commercial Area Expanded 1.5 Times)

In January this year, the final announcement of the Gunja Station district unit plan fulfilled the long-standing wishes of local residents for regional development.

The district unit plan area along 157-1 Il-dae-ro in Junggok-dong expanded from 250m to 350m around the Gunja Station intersection, increasing the area from 114,030㎡ to 165,245㎡, an increase of 51,215㎡.

The zoning was upgraded, with commercial areas increasing from 47,016㎡ to 71,736㎡, a growth of 24,720㎡, and residential-commercial mixed-use was permitted, strengthening residential functions. This established conditions for high-density mixed-use development in the double subway station area served by Lines 5 and 7, enabling rapid advancement of urban development plans to foster Gunja Station as a business hub integrating culture, office, and residential functions.

Furthermore, starting with the Gunja Station area development, urban spatial restructuring projects aimed at balanced regional development centered on Cheonho-daero and Dongil-ro are being thoroughly pursued.

Expected Development of Dongillo District

■ Strengthening Core Functions of Konkuk University and Seongsu Areas in Dongil-ro District, Laying the Foundation for Balanced Urban Development

Expansion of Commercial Area (Achasan-ro) and Semi-Residential Area (Dongil-ro) Approved by Seoul City Urban and Architectural Joint Committee on July 12

The target area stretches from the northern end of Yeongdong Bridge to the Huayang Intersection in Huayang-dong, covering an area of 93,563.7㎡. The urban plan designates the area as Type 3 General Residential, Semi-Residential, and General Commercial zones. With the recent district unit plan decision, the commercial area along Achasan-ro expanded by 30,149㎡, and the semi-residential area along Dongil-ro increased by 30,558㎡.

With conditions set for mixed-use development along Dongil-ro, plans are underway to develop the area into a youth-centered cultural complex connecting Daehak-ro, Sinchon, and Hongdae.

Key initiatives include ▲upgrading zoning to commercial and semi-residential to strengthen the core functions of Konkuk University and Seongsu areas ▲expanding commercial functions through transit-oriented development axes ▲increasing supply of youth industries and diverse residential and support functions ▲securing low-cost public rental industrial facilities ▲providing various residential types such as rental dormitories and supporting living SOC, and expanding youth office facilities.

The district is preparing the ‘2040 Gwangjin Plan’ as a basic framework for urban spatial re-creation. The Gwangjin Plan aims to reorganize Gwangjin-gu into four major axes and four major zones centered on urban development axes, promoting differentiated and balanced regional specialization.

The Junggok zone will be developed as a medical specialization hub, the Huayang-Gunja zone as a youth knowledge and culture hub, the Guui-Plaza zone as a historical, cultural, and artistic low-density area, and the Jayang zone as an advanced business complex hub.

Additionally, the plan includes a youth advanced innovation axis connecting Konkuk University Station, Guui Station, and Riverside Station; a waterfront sensory axis linked to the Great Han River; an innovation growth axis connecting Konkuk University Station, Gunja Station, and Junggok Station; and an industrial support axis connecting Gunja Station and Gwangnaru Station. This ensures balanced development without neglecting Junggok-dong, creating a “ten-minute city” centered on transit stations where work and leisure coexist.

Mayor Kim Kyung-ho expressed gratitude, saying, “I thank the passionate support of residents who have long wished for urban development and the efforts of our staff. We will continue to do our best to double the commercial area ratio through more innovative urban policies and achieve balanced urban development.”

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