Seoul Lifts 30% Cap on Residential Use for Sangam DMC Landmark Site

Mandatory Use Ratio for Hotels and Similar Facilities Lowered from 50% to 40%
Six Failed Sale Attempts Since 2012...Sale Notice Planned for First Half of the Year

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has lowered the mandatory ratio for designated uses such as hotels for the long-unsold 'DMC Landmark Site' within the Sangam Residential Development District in Mapo-gu, which has remained unsold since the project collapsed in 2012. Additionally, the previous 30% cap on residential use has been eliminated.

On March 25, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that the 'Amendment to the District Unit Plan for the Sangam Residential Development District,' which reflects these changes, was approved with modifications at the City-Architecture Joint Committee meeting.

Site of DMC Landmark in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government is re-marketing through eased construction-related regulations. Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government

This amendment to the district unit plan is intended to ease use restrictions on the landmark site, which has failed to attract buyers despite six sale attempts since 2004, in order to enable a resale.

The amendment relaxes the designated use ratio for hotels, officetels, and similar facilities from 50% to 40%, and removes 'international convention center' from the list of mandatory uses. The cap on residential use, previously limited to 30%, has also been abolished.

The maximum building height, previously set at 640 meters (including the spire), has also been relaxed. If innovative design or green building features are incorporated, floor area ratio incentives will be granted. The requirement to provide public pedestrian pathways has also been removed from the plan.

The city explained that the district unit plan was revised to minimize regulatory constraints, reflecting changes in social and economic conditions both domestically and internationally, and to encourage creative development proposals from the private sector. The amendment will be finalized and officially announced after a 14-day public inspection period for residents.

The city plans to issue a sale notice and hold an information session within the first half of the year, based on the revised district unit plan.

The DMC Landmark Site covers a total area of 37,262 square meters. During the development of the Sangam district, the city had planned to construct a super high-rise building of over 100 floors to serve as a district landmark.

In 2008, a consortium of 25 companies was selected as the preferred bidder for the 'Seoul Light Tower' project, but the global financial crisis caused funding difficulties for the developer, leading to the project's cancellation in 2012. The city has since attempted to sell the site six more times, but all attempts failed, and the land remains vacant.

Kim Yonghak, Director of Future Space Planning at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "This revision to the district unit plan actively reflects the changed market environment," adding, "Through the resale, we aim to transform Sangam DMC into a global, integrated hub where work, living, and leisure coexist."

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