Dongjak District Holds First Meeting of Autonomous District Task Force on Transfer of Redevelopment Zone Designation Authority

15 Districts Join Forces
Improvement Proposal to Be Presented to the Mayors' Council

Seoul’s autonomous districts are joining forces to push for the transfer of authority to designate redevelopment zones. This move stems from concerns that key powers related to redevelopment and reconstruction are concentrated within the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government, which has led to delays in on-site response.

Front view of Dongjak District Office. Provided by Dongjak District Office.

Dongjak District (headed by District Mayor Ryu Samyeong) announced on October 6 that it formed the “Task Force (TF) for the Transfer of Redevelopment Zone Designation Authority to Autonomous Districts” on October 2 and held its inaugural meeting. The meeting, organized by Dongjak District, took place in the 4th floor strategic conference room of the Dongjak District Office and was attended by redevelopment project specialists from 15 of Seoul’s autonomous districts.

The task force will jointly identify issues for the improvement of redevelopment project-related policies and systems, devise legal and institutional reform proposals, and coordinate with related agencies such as the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The launch of the task force was initiated by District Mayor Ryu’s proposal. On August 12, at the 203rd regular meeting of the Seoul Autonomous District Mayors’ Council, Ryu officially proposed “transferring the authority to designate and revise redevelopment zones to autonomous districts.” He argued that autonomous districts are best positioned to understand local conditions and resident needs, yet lack the authority to respond quickly. The Council accepted the proposal, deciding to set up a dedicated task force within the districts to discuss ways to expand their authority.

During the first meeting, participants discussed transferring the authority to designate or make changes to redevelopment zones with fewer than 500 households to autonomous districts, expanding the scope of minor modifications to redevelopment plans, and transferring the authority for integrated deliberation on project implementation plans to the districts. Attendees also shared the status of redevelopment projects in their respective districts, highlighted operational challenges, and exchanged views on the institutional limitations experienced on the ground and the need for authority transfer.

Based on the meeting’s outcomes, the district plans to formally present detailed directions for policy reform regarding the transfer of redevelopment zone authority at the 204th regular meeting of the Seoul Autonomous District Mayors’ Council, scheduled for October 14.

District Mayor Ryu stated, “Because redevelopment projects can progress differently depending on local circumstances and the nature of each project, the role of autonomous districts—who are closer to the sites—is crucial. We will prepare the necessary policy reform measures based on the discussions held in the autonomous district TF meetings, and will actively cooperate with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government to ensure that redevelopment projects advance smoothly.”

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