Sanggye, Junggye, Seongsan High-Density Apartment Floor Area Ratio Increased by 1.2 Times... Commercial Area Total Volume System Abolished

Aging High-Density Complexes See 1.2x Floor Area Ratio Increase... 65 Complexes Benefit
Floor Area Ratio Cap Raised from 280% to 360% for Existing Complexes
Reconstruction Starts Without Safety Inspection, Project Period Shortened by 1 Year Compared to New Town Planning
'Commercial Area Total Volume System' Excluded to Attract Commercial Facilities and Companies in Gangbuk Area
'Balanced Development White Site' Introduced on Idle Sites like Sinnae Vehicle Depot
Allows Developers to Use Land as Desired, Creating Jobs

The floor area ratio of high-density apartments in Gangbuk areas such as Sanggye, Junggye, Wolgye, Dobong, and Seongsan will be increased by up to 1.2 times. Among these, station areas will be upgraded to quasi-residential zones while reducing public contributions to 10%. The building aging criteria for redevelopment areas will be relaxed to 60%. To attract advanced industry companies to the Gangbuk area, the 'commercial area total volume system' will be abolished, and commercial facilities will be expanded to three times the current level.

On the 26th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced the second urban transformation project, 'Gangbuk Area Grand Transformation - The Golden Age of Gangbuk,' stating, "We will implement bold deregulation and broad support so that the Gangbuk area can be reborn from a bedroom town into a new economic city full of jobs and vitality, driving Seoul's urban competitiveness."

The Gangbuk area refers to 11 districts including the Northeast area (Gangbuk, Gwangjin, Nowon, Dobong, Dongdaemun, Seongdong, Seongbuk, Jungnang) and the Northwest area (Mapo, Seodaemun, Eunpyeong). This region contains 46% of Seoul's housing over 30 years old, while commercial facility areas are lacking compared to other regions.

Relaxing Reconstruction Regulations for Aging High-Density Complexes to Improve Feasibility

The city will ease reconstruction and redevelopment regulations and provide incentives in aging residential areas of Gangbuk. For high-density reconstruction complexes including Sanggye, Junggye, Wolgye, as well as Changdong, Banghak, Sinnae, and Seongsan, the floor area ratio will be increased by 1.2 times. For example, a complex with a current maximum floor area ratio of 280% will be increased to 360%. Benefits are expected for 65 complexes (about 42,000 households) where reconstruction was previously impossible due to high floor area ratios. Among these, type 3 residential areas located near stations will be upgraded to quasi-residential zones, with public contributions reduced from 15% to 10%.

A Seoul city official explained, "Many complexes in land development districts such as Sanggye and Junggye have floor area ratios approaching 300%, so the deregulation measures will have an effect," adding, "We plan to revise ordinances within the year."

The plan to allow reconstruction without safety inspections will proceed as per the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's plan. The maintenance project period will be shortened by about one year compared to the New Town Plan by conducting maintenance plan drafting procedures and rapid integrated consultations simultaneously. The city expects 127 complexes (about 100,000 households) to start maintenance projects soon.

Redevelopment area designation requirements will also be relaxed. The building aging criterion will be lowered from the current 67% to 60%, and aging low-rise residential areas without fire roads less than 6 meters wide will be included in redevelopment targets. This will increase the developable area from 2.86 million square meters to 8 million square meters, more than 2.8 times.

Natural landscape and altitude districts facing development difficulties due to height restrictions will be reorganized into 'Mountain Foot Towns.' The height limit in natural landscape districts such as Suyu, Anam, and Ansan will be relaxed from the current 3 floors to about 7 floors (20 meters). In altitude districts around Bukhansan, building heights will be allowed up to 45 meters from the current 20 meters when pursuing maintenance projects.

Expanding Commercial Areas 2 to 3 Times, Attracting Advanced Industry Companies to Idle Sites

The city has decided to abolish the commercial area total volume system in the Gangbuk area. This system sets a total commercial area volume by region until 2030 and designates commercial areas within that range. Even combining the Northeast area (3.431 million square meters) and Northwest area (1.762 million square meters), the Gangbuk area has fewer commercial areas than the downtown area (8.148 million square meters), Southeast area (6.271 million square meters), and Southwest area (6.158 million square meters).

Large idle sites such as the Sinnae Vehicle Depot and Jungnang Garage will apply the 'Balanced Development White Site (Pre-negotiation System)' to attract advanced companies. White Sites are areas where development is difficult under existing urban plans but allow project implementers to develop according to desired uses and scales. The famous Singapore hotel 'Marina Bay Sands' was developed using the White Site system.

The city plans to attract bio-ICT industries to the former Changdong Vehicle Depot site (250,000 square meters) and develop residential and retail facilities on the NH Nonghyup site (30,000 square meters). Additionally, the former Sinnae Vehicle Depot site (190,000 square meters), Jungnang Public Garage (60,000 square meters), Myeonmok Line Vehicle Depot (20,000 square meters), and Sinnae 4 Public Housing District (70,000 square meters) will be developed integrally to include advanced industries, business districts, cultural facilities, and residential functions.

The Gwangwoon University Station area, scheduled to start construction within the year, will be developed as a new economic and cultural strategic hub with office, residential, retail, and lodging facilities. The Seoul Innovation Park site (60,000 square meters) will be reborn as 'Seoul Creative Town,' a convergence creative industry cluster for media content and R&D. The Susaek Vehicle Depot and Sangam DMC area will be upgraded to 'DMC 2.0,' adding K-culture and media content spaces. A large Ferris wheel called 'Twin Eye (tentative name)' will be constructed at Sangam Sky Park, with a private investment feasibility study planned within the year and construction targeted for 2026. The DMC Station complex development linked with Lotte Mall is also scheduled to begin construction in 2027.

Reflecting the characteristics of the Gangbuk area, which houses 83% of Seoul's comprehensive universities, six universities including Korea University, Yonsei University, and Hongik University have been selected as R&D campuses. Restrictions on floor area ratio and height will be relaxed to support practical innovation at universities. Public dormitories sharing various communities will be built near Gwangwoon University Station area (about 900 rooms) and Bukahyeon 3 District (about 500 rooms).

14 Additional Waterfront Hubs to be Created

The city has set a goal of a 'garden city' by turning the upper part of the Dongbu Expressway into a park so that any Gangbuk resident can access forests, parks, and streams within 20 minutes. The Gyeongui Line Forest Trail pedestrian network will be completed by 2025, and the Baekryeon Neighborhood Park healing space by 2026.

By 2025, at least one waterfront vitality hub will be created in each autonomous district. Following the Hongjecheon waterfront terrace, 14 additional waterfront sensory spaces will be created within walking distance at Bulgwangcheon, Jeongneungcheon, Jungnangcheon, Uicheon, and others. Facilities such as Seoul Arena, district-specific municipal libraries, and complex sports centers will also begin construction this year to address the lack of cultural facilities in the Gangbuk area.

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