Mayor Oh Se-hoon: "Even With School Issues Resolved, 8,000 Units Is the Limit for Yongsan"

Attending a Debate Hosted by Assemblyman Kwon Youngse's Office

Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul, stated on March 6 that the most stable supply level for the government's plan to provide 10,000 housing units in Yongsan International Business District is 6,000 units, and even if issues such as schools are resolved, the maximum feasible number is 8,000 units.

On the 6th, a policy forum titled "Controversy over the Supply of 10,000 Housing Units in Yongsan International Business District and Seeking the Right Solution" was held at Conference Room 1, the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. From the front row on the left are Kwon Young-se, Member of the People Power Party; Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul; and Na Kyung-won, Member of the People Power Party.

On this day, Mayor Oh attended a policy debate titled "Controversy over the Supply of 10,000 Housing Units in Yongsan International Business District and Seeking the Right Solution," hosted by Kwon Young-se, a member of the People Power Party, in the first small conference room of the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. He remarked, "We must not attempt to meet short-term housing targets through the Yongsan International Business District."

Previously, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the "1·29 Real Estate Supply Plan," which involves providing 60,000 housing units by utilizing old government office buildings and idle sites in the Seoul metropolitan area. As part of this, the ministry revealed a plan to supply 10,000 units in the Yongsan International Business District. In response, Mayor Oh and Assemblyman Kwon Young-se held an emergency meeting at the Seoul City Hall office and announced that they would convene a debate involving experts and citizens on the topic of "Yongsan International Business District and Urban Supply in Seoul" to gather opinions from various sectors.

Mayor Oh emphasized, "Yongsan International Business District is a key strategic base for Seoul's future job creation," and added, "Since we have discussed for years with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport about creating a global business hub centered on international business functions, the housing plan should also be carefully designed so as not to undermine these principles."

He further expressed strong concerns, stating, "Expanding the supply size excessively is a choice that costs us our future." He explained, "If the plan is expanded to 10,000 units, additional administrative procedures such as school facilities will be required, which could extend the project duration by at least two more years. We should avoid decisions that delay the project timeline under the pretext of increasing supply."

Mayor Oh also pointed out that if the supply volume increases, providing mostly small-sized units would become unavoidable. He stated, "The planned residential composition, which focused on 25-pyeong and 35-pyeong units to attract global talent, could be completely disrupted," and added, "Increasing the quantity at the expense of quality would undermine Seoul's competitiveness."

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