Namseong Apartment, built in 1983, is facing reconstruction. In October 2023, Hanwha Construction was selected as the contractor. Relocation could begin as early as this year. The elderly residents are heavy-hearted at the thought of leaving a place they've called home for at least 20 years, and for some, over 40 years. Most of them have lived here for decades. In that time, many have lost their spouses, and their grown children have moved out, leaving many grandmothers living alone.

"Among the grandmothers living in this apartment, only six have husbands. They are all widows with nowhere to go. The children asked them to agree to the reconstruction, so they did, but I wish it would be canceled even now." "They say that even if only 100 out of 390 households return, it would be considered a large number. Some say they will pay the contribution and come back if a new apartment is built." "If I move somewhere else because of the reconstruction, I will become an outsider. It will be hard to make new friends there again." Deep sighs came from all around.

The current market price of Namseong Apartment is around 700 million won for a 58-square-meter unit. If you can't pay the 300 million won contribution, you must accept a cash settlement. This means you only receive the appraised value of your home from the developer, which is usually lower than the actual market price. While it may not be difficult to find a jeonse (long-term lease) in Seoul with the money from selling the apartment, for the elderly, leaving their longtime home is practically a 'disaster.' If their health deteriorates after moving to an unfamiliar place, they may no longer be able to live alone and could end up in a care facility.

Choi Heekyung, professor of Counseling Psychology and Welfare at Silla University, said, "Urban seniors face not only spatial changes due to redevelopment and reconstruction, but also experience severed relationships and psychological anxiety, leading to a crisis." She added, "Unstable neighbor relationships cause confusion and negatively affect their sense of identity." This is why reconstruction is especially difficult in apartments with many elderly residents. Professor Choi pointed out, "When planning and implementing redevelopment projects, the perceptions and experiences of elderly residents must be thoroughly considered."

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In reality, there are few effective measures for elderly people who have to relocate due to redevelopment or reconstruction. Park Yongseon, Director of the Housing Maintenance Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "It is realistically difficult to prepare relocation measures specifically for seniors." The context is that, with so many people without homes, it would be unfair for the state to help elderly homeowners relocate as well.

There are, however, options worth considering, such as priority rights for rental housing. Yoo Seonjong, professor of Real Estate at Konkuk University, suggested, "If elderly residents who cannot afford the contribution are given priority rights to rental units built within the new apartment complex, at the very least, they could continue living in their familiar neighborhood."

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