[Report] "No More People Living Here"... The Transformation of a Semi-Basement Flooded Two Years Ago

Sillim-dong Semi-basement, Vacant After SH Corporation Purchase
Utilizing Resident Spaces Such as Community Facilities and Temporary Shelters
SH Corporation Reduced 2,946 Semi-basement Households Over About 3 Years
2,718 Purchased, 228 Relocated Above Ground

#1 On the morning of the 12th, I visited a semi-basement house in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Despite the windows being wide open, the room was filled with a musty mold smell and humid air. This place had suffered flood damage from the heavy rain in Seoul in August 2022, but Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH Corporation) quickly purchased it and evacuated the residents, so it currently remains vacant.

#2 Another semi-basement house located a 5-minute walk away had a neat room with white-toned wallpaper and flooring, furnished with about five or six tables and chairs. Until October last year, people lived there, but now it is used as a community space for residents. After SH Corporation purchased and evacuated the property, it was provided free of charge to the local district office, Gwanak-gu Office. It is also used to store flood prevention materials such as water pumps and water barriers, or as a temporary shelter in case of flooding.

On the 12th, a semi-basement house in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. After being purchased by Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation), eviction measures were taken, and it currently remains vacant. Photo by Kwon Hyunji

On the 12th, a semi-basement house in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. After being purchased by Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation), it was provided free of charge to Gwanak-gu Office and is currently being used as a community facility for residents. Photo by Kwon Hyunji

Since the semi-basement flooding incident in August 2022, the number of semi-basement houses in Seoul has noticeably decreased. The city and SH Corporation are actively promoting a ‘semi-basement elimination policy’ to improve the housing welfare of semi-basement residents, resulting in these houses becoming vacant or being repurposed for uses such as community facilities.

As of 2022, there are an estimated 230,000 semi-basement households in Seoul. SH Corporation has eliminated a total of 2,946 semi-basement houses from 2021 through the first half of this year. Of these, 2,718 were reduced through purchases. SH Corporation first began purchasing semi-basement houses in 2002, but started actively acquiring them after the flooding incident in August 2022. This year, the goal is to purchase 2,351 houses, with 638 houses already acquired by the end of last month.

SH Corporation is also proactive in utilizing the vacant semi-basement houses acquired through purchase. When SH Corporation provides these properties free of charge (rental) to the local district office, the office creates and operates welfare facilities such as community centers for residents. Kim Heon-dong, president of SH Corporation, explained, “We will work with district offices to utilize these spaces as parking lots, community spaces, storage, and other areas for residents.”

In addition, SH Corporation is actively promoting the relocation of semi-basement residents to above-ground floors. Through this effort, 228 semi-basement houses have been reduced from 2021 to the end of last month. The corporation surveyed 288 out of the total 713 semi-basement houses it owns regarding ▲relocation demand ▲preferred relocation areas ▲reasons for refusal to relocate, and has been promoting customized above-ground relocation. Of the remaining 60 households, 26 are currently undergoing above-ground relocation, and 34 households are being continuously encouraged to relocate above ground.

Kim Heon-dong, president of SH Corporation, said, “In accordance with the government and Seoul city’s policy of ‘gradual elimination of semi-basements,’ we will continue to purchase semi-basement houses and actively propose institutional improvements to expand acquisitions. We will do our best to ensure the safety of semi-basement residents through housing upgrades (above-ground relocation) and installation of disaster prevention facilities.”

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