"Southwest Region's Underdevelopment Must Be Addressed"... 7.3 Trillion Won Invested in Major Overhaul of Transportation, Industry, and Housing (Comprehensive)

Mayor Oh Se-hoon Announces "Southwest Region Grand Renovation 2.0"

New Rail Lines Including the Western Line, Plus the Southern Ring Underground Road

Magok, Onsu Industrial Complex, and G-Valley to Become Innovation Platforms

84 Fast-Track Planning Sites and 37 Moa Towns to Be Redeveloped

"The Southwest region has lagged behind as the most underdeveloped area due to a combination of industrial structural changes, traffic congestion, and housing shortages. This is a challenge that must be addressed."

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is launching a major renovation project for the Southwest region, historically represented by the Guro Industrial Complex. With a total investment of 7.3 trillion won, the city plans to significantly expand transportation infrastructure in the Southwest area, including the undergrounding of the Southern Ring Road, and to establish new industrial hubs. Housing supply and the creation of large-scale green spaces will also be promoted to strengthen the area’s role as a center for daily living and leisure.

The goal is to develop a new future city where workplaces, residential areas, and leisure spaces ("Work-Life-Leisure") coexist, starting with a sweeping overhaul of transportation infrastructure and upgrading industrial complexes and residential zones. Mayor Oh stated, "By organically connecting transportation, industry, housing, and green spaces, we will transform the Southwest region into a stage for urban development innovation and a place where future industries and jobs can flourish."

On the 5th, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon announced the ‘Southwest Region Grand Reform 2.0’ at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

"Mid-term Urban Planning Review Needed"... Accelerating the Overhaul of Industry and Housing with an All-Directional Transportation Network

Mayor Oh announced the core details of the "Southwest Region Grand Renovation 2.0" project at Seoul City Hall on the morning of March 5.

"Southwest Region Grand Renovation 2.0" is an expanded version of 1.0, which began in February 2024 by laying the foundation for industry and housing. Mayor Oh explained, "After announcing an urban plan, a mid-term review is needed every two years. Many changes have started in the Southwest region since the announcement of the first phase. It's important to assess these changes and update or add to the plan as necessary."

The central focus is the construction of large-scale transportation infrastructure. To strengthen regional connectivity, the city will expedite four major lines—the Gangbuk Traverse Line, Mokdong Line, Western Line, and Nangok Line—to eliminate public transportation blind spots. This is a proactive response to projected increases in future transportation demand due to projects like the Mokdong reconstruction and the Nangok redevelopment. The city also plans to accelerate progress by diversifying project methods and proposing improvements to the preliminary feasibility study system.

The city will also pursue the undergrounding of roads to relieve chronic bottlenecks and return above-ground space to citizens. For example, a 15km underground road will be built along the Southern Ring Road from Gaehwa-dong in Gangseo-gu to Sillim-dong in Gwanak-gu. This will be complemented by the Sillim–Bongcheon Tunnel, currently under construction, to strengthen the east-west transportation network.

On the National Assembly Avenue, a 7.6km section from Sinwol IC to the National Assembly Intersection will see the construction of a 4.1km underground road to disperse surface traffic. The above-ground area will become an eco-friendly themed park, reconnecting divided neighborhoods and offering leisure spaces for citizens. The Western Arterial Road, currently a four-lane road, will be expanded to five lanes, with pedestrian overpasses and covered parks to be installed.

Notably, the Gangnam Circular Road will be extended to the Southern Ring Road through the Sillim–Bongcheon Tunnel, completing the Southwest underground expressway. This is expected to reduce travel time between Gangnam and Gangseo from 70 minutes to 40 minutes.

The reorganization of industrial complexes and residential areas will also be accelerated alongside the transportation system overhaul. The goal is to redevelop the outdated semi-industrial zones of the Southwest region—previously restricted by various regulations—into spaces where advanced industries and quality jobs coexist.

The Magok Industrial Complex will convert reserved land into mixed-use sites to establish a physical artificial intelligence (AI) industry hub. Four "Magok-style R&D Centers" will be constructed, granting the complex a new role as a cultural and industrial research hub.

The so-called G-Valley, formerly known as the Guro Industrial Complex, will undergo a comprehensive overhaul of the national industrial complex plan, including mixed-use development of specially planned zones such as Kyohaksa and Mario Outlet. As part of this, the support facility ratio for 119 knowledge industry centers within the complex will be increased from 15-20% to the legal standard of 30%.

The pace of semi-industrial zone development will also increase. A "Technical Talent Academy Southwest Campus" will be built on the Onsu Station rugby field site, and specialized vocational training in fields such as robotic automation and smart logistics will be provided to foster 500 technical professionals annually. In Gocheok-dong, the "Seoul Tech Space" will be established, equipped with advanced IT manufacturing, testing, and data analysis capabilities, positioning it as a hub for advanced manufacturing innovation in the Southwest region.

Detailed implementation plan of the 'Southwest Area Grand Renovation 2.0' project announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 5th. Seoul Metropolitan Government

Project Budget: 7.3 Trillion Won... "Manageable with National and Private Sector Funding"

The city has also presented plans to repurpose underutilized land. The 104,000-square-meter Western Truck Terminal site in Sinjeong-dong will be transformed into an "Urban Advanced Logistics Complex." The city plans to pursue mixed-use development through 1.94 trillion won in private investment.

The timeline for reorganizing residential areas in the Southwest is also accelerating. By leveraging the local demand for proximity between jobs and housing and balancing the supply of both, the city expects to attract younger residents and revitalize the local economy. The plan is to promptly implement fast-track integrated planning and the Moa Town and Moa Housing procedures, with the goal of starting construction on 73,000 housing units by 2030. Of the 84 fast-track planning sites in the Southwest region, 36 have already been designated as redevelopment zones, and the city plans to speed up procedures for the remaining 32 sites currently in planning.

The Moa Town (37 sites) and Moa Housing (11,996 units) projects will proceed as planned to activate small-scale redevelopment. The city will also press ahead with the reconstruction of the Gayang and Deungchon residential development districts, which together total 39,792 units. Additionally, a total of 580 "child-rearing friendly housing" units will be built on the Dangsan public parking lot and the Southern Women's Development Center sites. The public parking lots at Gaebong-dong and Gaehwasan Station will be transformed into administrative welfare centers and senior towns by attracting 150 billion won in private investment.

Medium- and large-scale living infrastructure will also be established throughout the area. Along Anyangcheon and Dorimcheon, signature rivers of the Southwest, waterfront cafes and water leisure facilities will be introduced to create appealing riverside spaces where citizens can relax and enjoy themselves. In addition, the city will restore the undergrounded Bongcheoncheon beneath the roads as an ecological stream, connecting it to the greenbelt of Boramae Park. The second branch of Dorimcheon, which has lost its water-friendly features, will also be restored as a nature-friendly stream in connection with the urban redevelopment acceleration plans for Sillim 1 and 2 districts. Yeouido Park will host the "Second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts," with an opening target of 2030.

The total project budget for "Southwest Region Grand Renovation 2.0" is 7.3 trillion won. Of this, 5.5 trillion won will go to railway and road improvements, 100 billion won to the creation of industrial complexes, and 1.7 trillion won to the redevelopment of residential areas and related projects. The city will cover 4.7 trillion won, with 800 billion won coming from the national government and 1.8 trillion won from private sector investment.

Regarding the total funding requirement of 23 trillion won, which includes resources for the recent "Gangbuk Renaissance 2.0" project, Mayor Oh emphasized, "The Gangbuk Renaissance project requires 16 trillion won in investment, of which 4.8 trillion won—out of the city's 10 trillion won share—will be secured through public contributions across Seoul, and 5.2 trillion won will come from the city’s finances. The 7.3 trillion won for the Southwest region includes 4.7 trillion won from the city and a combined 2.6 trillion won from national and private sector funding. This amount is fully manageable."

Mayor Oh concluded, "This is another new beginning for a leap forward leading Seoul’s future transformation. Seoul will make Gangbuk Renaissance 2.0 and Southwest Region Grand Renovation 2.0 the twin axes of the city’s change, and we will not stop our bold steps until these changes reshape not only Seoul, but the future of Korea as well."

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