Park Hongkeun Urges Oh Sehoon: "Seoul Should First Use Its Own Authority Before Asking to Raise the Floor Area Ratio"

Hongkeun Park, Minister of Planning and Budget, stated that before Oh Sehoon, Mayor of Seoul, asks the central government to raise the floor area ratio (FAR) and adjust the public contribution rate to expand housing supply, the Seoul Metropolitan Government should first proactively utilize the authority it already has under the current system.

Hongkeun Park, Minister of Strategy and Finance, is speaking at the 2027 budget party-government consultation held at the National Assembly members' office building on the 25th. 2026.8.25 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Minister Park expressed this view in a social media post titled “Mayor Oh Sehoon, Start with What Seoul Can Do.” Previously, on August 24, Mayor Oh had requested to President Lee Jaemyung at the Cabinet meeting that the central government raise the FAR and adjust the public contribution rate. In response, Minister Park pointed out that much of the adjustment related to FAR and public contribution rate could be handled by the authority already granted to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Mayor Oh replied that the “total cap” on FAR falls under the central government’s jurisdiction by law.

Commenting on this, Minister Park acknowledged, “It is true that there is a legal upper limit for the FAR as prescribed by law.” The National Land Planning Act determines the maximum allowable FAR for each designated zone and requires local governments to set more specific standards within this scope via municipal ordinances. However, Minister Park added, “A separate system applies to redevelopment projects,” explaining, “Under the Urban Renewal Act, if a project passes the review of the local urban planning committee, construction can exceed the planned FAR in favor of the current legal upper limit.” He further stated, “How proactively the upper legal limit for FAR is applied is up to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s redevelopment plans and the deliberations of its urban planning committee.”

Kim Yoonduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Oh Sehoon, Mayor of Seoul, are leaving the Dalgaebi restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, after their second meeting on housing supply on August 26, 2026. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Minister Park agreed on the need for the central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government to work together to increase housing supply, and he said that revising laws and regulations is necessary if required. However, he stressed, “Before doing so, the top priority should be to review whether all of the existing local government authority is being fully used,” adding, “Especially if housing supply in Seoul is an urgent matter, the Seoul Metropolitan Government should first explain to citizens how actively the current legal upper FAR has been applied in redevelopment projects, and how the public housing obligation ratio has been managed.” He also noted that if the Seoul Metropolitan Government fails to take all possible action under the current system, instead blaming everything on the central government’s laws and regulations, it will be difficult for citizens to accept. Furthermore, he criticized, “While hastily opposing housing supply for future generations in Yongsan, Mayor Oh’s proposed alternative—the relocation site of the Tancheon Water Reclamation Center, which is not even feasible—casts doubt on the sincerity of his intent to solve Seoul’s housing problems.”

Minister Park asserted, “Requesting more power from the central government and the proper exercise of existing authority by the Seoul Metropolitan Government are separate, independent issues,” emphasizing that “Seoul should not try to exercise its authority while shifting responsibility to the central government.” He added, “Housing is a matter of the public’s livelihood, not a topic for political debate,” and urged, “Mayor Oh Sehoon, before making further demands of the government, please act responsibly on everything the Seoul Metropolitan Government itself can do.”

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