A Breakthrough in the Era of High Pre-Sale Prices: Gangneung Ocean City I-Park Boasts Policy Benefits and Ocean Views

Key Complex with "Beach-Front" Location: Gangneung Ocean City I-Park

With oil prices soaring due to the recent Iran conflict and ongoing global supply chain instability, the reality of "apartment pre-sale prices at 20 million won per 3.3 square meters" has become unavoidable. As construction cost indices reach an all-time high of 133.28 (provisional figure for January 2026) due to skyrocketing raw material prices, the downward rigidity of pre-sale prices has strengthened. As a result, homebuyers are shifting their focus from the heavily regulated Seoul metropolitan area to major regional cities.

Following the government's "October 15 Housing Market Stabilization Measures," which tightened loan and tax regulations across the Seoul Gangnam district and the entire metropolitan area, Gangneung—a non-regulated region—has emerged as an alternative investment destination. This is because the expansion of the KTX Gangneung Line and the opening of the Donghae Line KTX-Eum have dramatically shortened the perceived distance from Seoul and the Yeongnam region, while the establishment of the "Natural Bio National Industrial Complex" serves as a significant catalyst to bolster Gangneung's value as a self-sustaining city.

Amid these developments, "Gangneung Ocean City I-Park," which is scheduled for occupancy in August this year, stands out as the most noteworthy complex in Gangneung. Thanks to the application of the "Second Home Tax Special Exception," existing single-home owners can acquire additional properties in accordance with government guidelines while maintaining the single-household, single-home tax exemption. This has led to a significant influx of liquidity from asset holders in the metropolitan area.

In particular, the "beach-front" location, offering panoramic views of Songjeong and Anmok Beaches, delivers a unique scarcity value on par with the Han River view in Seoul, resulting in a premium of tens of millions of won as the move-in date approaches. While apartment prices in the Gangnam district are undergoing adjustments, the value of this complex—benefiting from both policy incentives and its exceptional location—is rising disproportionately.

In this era of uniformly rising pre-sale prices, it is ultimately "an irreplaceable location" that will survive. Real estate experts predict, "With construction costs continuing to rise, Gangneung is also on the verge of entering the era of 20 million won per 3.3 square meters for pre-sale prices. The rush to secure landmark complexes boasting ocean views, strong brand reputations, and special policy incentives is expected to accelerate even further before occupancy."

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