Jung-gu, Seoul: Four Years of the "Urban Renewal Task Force"... Pioneering Early Dedicated Team Operation

Established Under the Mayor’s Direct Authority in 2022
Led the Effort to Ease Namsan Height Restrictions

Jung-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gil-sung) announced on August 6 that the "Urban Renewal Strategy Task Force," established in August 2022 under the direct authority of the district mayor, has marked its fourth anniversary.

In May 2023, at the Namsan Height Restriction Relaxation Public Forum, participants are flying paper airplanes filled with their hopes. Courtesy of Jung-gu.

Following the June 3 local elections, a number of Seoul districts began to create or elevate dedicated teams for reconstruction and redevelopment, placing them directly under the district mayor. Jung-gu, however, was ahead of this trend, having already been operating its own dedicated task force.

The task force, along with the existing Urban Renewal Division, has been responsible for establishing the overall direction for urban development in Jung-gu. For this, the district government structured the task force into three groups: Urban Renewal Communication Team, Urban Renewal Planning Team, and Urban Space Planning Team, each with distinct roles.

Over the past four years, the task force has addressed major local issues. Most notably, in the process of relaxing the height restrictions for Namsan, they built local consensus and devised height management measures through public forums, surveys, and expert consultations. The task force also determined the direction for high-density and mixed-use development around Dasan-ro, Yaksu, Cheonggu, and Sindang Station, and led to the selection of projects such as the urban public housing complex near Yaksu Station, Hoehyeon New Village, and the Dasan Human Town 2.0 contest. Steps were also taken to provide a foundation for new government buildings in Euljiro-dong and Sogong-dong.

Efforts were also made to communicate with residents. The task force organized 115 on-site town hall meetings and citizen academies, explaining complex urban planning systems in accessible terms. It also played a bridging role between residents and local government in redevelopment areas such as Sindang 10 District and Jungnim 398.

The district plans to continue strengthening its urban competitiveness during the 9th popularly elected administration, centered on the task force. It will expand major social infrastructure facilities (SOCs) and create 1,000 units of "Naepyeon Jung-gu STAY," a public rental housing program for youth, newlyweds, and people without homes. The district will also accelerate the reconstruction of the aging district office and the establishment of the Hoehyeon Administrative Complex Town, and will fully launch low-rise residential development linked to the relaxation of Namsan height restrictions.

District Mayor Kim Gil-sung said, "Through the Urban Renewal Strategy Task Force, we have set the big picture for the city of Jung-gu over the past four years, relaxed outdated regulations, and laid the groundwork for change together with residents. In the 9th administration, we will seamlessly promote projects to enhance urban competitiveness, ensuring that residents can truly experience the transformation of Jung-gu."

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