Oh Sehoon Says "Policy Chief Uninformed About Seoul Policies... Will Accelerate Southwest Urban Overhaul" (Comprehensive)

Mayor Oh Sehoon Visits Yangpyeong Sindonga Apartments
Maximum Floor Area Ratio for Apartments Eased to 400%
32 Previously Halted or Delayed Projects Back on Track

On July 16, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the southwestern quasi-industrial area of Seoul and remarked, “I was disappointed that the policy chief seemed to assume the sites available for use are simply left idle,” adding, “I will make sure that the Southwest Reconstruction 2.0 project moves ahead even faster.”

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is holding a meeting with residents on the 16th at Shindonga Apartment in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, which is scheduled for reconstruction. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

During his visit that morning to the Yangpyeong Sindonga Apartments redevelopment site in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Mayor Oh responded to recent comments by Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-bum regarding the use of the quasi-industrial areas in the southwest. He said, “It doesn’t appear that he was fully informed of what the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been doing.”

He continued, “In 2024, Seoul launched the Southwest Major Transition Project to create multi-purpose spaces that combine industrial centers, housing, and leisure, known as ‘Work-Life-Play’. Work has been underway to realize this integrated vision.”

The resident meeting held that day was attended by about 50 people, including neighborhood association leaders, committee chairs, and residents from nearby areas.

Geunhye Jeong, association head of Yangpyeong Sindonga Apartments, said, “We were unable to move the project forward after the committee was established in 2009, but revision of Seoul’s ordinance helped unite our membership.” Bowu Nam, head of the Munrae Gukhwa Apartment Reconstruction Committee, commented, “Over 100 redevelopment projects are underway in Yeongdeungpo-gu alone. We are concerned about delays and hope the city government will review matters thoroughly.”

After listening to resident feedback, Mayor Oh responded, “Construction and labor costs keep rising, so cutting costs is absolutely essential. The city is always doing its utmost to address these challenges.”

He further explained, “Previously, quasi-industrial areas were only allowed a floor area ratio of 250%, which was not suitable for residential use. We raised that to a maximum of 400%, laying the groundwork for much quicker redevelopment. We are also working to create neighborhoods where workspaces, residences, culture and arts venues, and green spaces are harmoniously combined, so residents can enjoy a high quality of life.”

Meanwhile, following the announcement of the 'Southwest Urban Overhaul' in 2024, the city improved its policies so residential districts undergoing redevelopment or reconstruction can have their housing floor area ratios raised to a maximum of 400%.

After these regulatory improvements, previously stalled or delayed redevelopment projects were resumed and new projects were initiated. Currently, a total of 32 quasi-industrial districts are undergoing housing supply projects, amounting to approximately 27,000 residential units.

As the floor area ratio at Yangpyeong Sindonga Apartments was raised to 400%, the number of units increased by 199. This is expected to reduce the financial burden on association members.

The city plans to further reduce the period from the approval of the project implementation plan to construction start—originally five years under the Standard Processing Time for Prompt Integrated Planning 2.0—by one additional year, aiming for construction to begin in October 2029, overseen by the Second Vice Mayor for Administration.

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