Court: "240 Pyeong of Eunma Land to Chung Taesu Heirs"; Association: "Project Prepared on Assumption of Land Purchase"

Seoul City Reviews Ruling, Prepares to Appeal
"The Project Is Not Structured to Be Halted or See Costs Surge"

A court has ruled that some of the land registered in the name of the Seoul Metropolitan Government within Eunma Apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, must be transferred to the heirs of the late Chung Tae-soo, former chairman of the Hanbo Group. The residents' association says it has prepared its project plan on the assumption that it would purchase the land and does not expect the ruling to directly hinder the reconstruction project.

A view of Eunma Apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Oct. 13, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyeong

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and other sources on Oct. 30, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 33 recently ruled that the city must transfer ownership of 795 square meters (240 pyeong) of land near 1020-2 Daechi-dong to the heirs of former Chairman Chung.

Former Chairman Chung is said to have purchased the land from the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 1978 during the development and construction of Eunma Apartment. His heirs filed a lawsuit, arguing that although the purchase price had been paid at the time, ownership remained registered in the city's name even after construction was completed.

The court reportedly ruled in favor of the heirs, finding that Chung's side had purchased the land based on the sales contract and evidence that the purchase price had been paid.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government says it cannot relinquish its property rights before the ruling becomes final, since the land remains registered as city-owned property. It is reviewing the ruling, led by its property management and legal support departments, and preparing follow-up procedures, including a possible appeal.

In addition to this lawsuit, several similar disputes over land ownership are underway involving the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the residents' association and the heirs of former Chairman Chung.

The city and the Eunma reconstruction association say the lawsuits will not undermine the project itself. The association has drawn up its project plan and calculated project costs and members' contributions on the assumption that it will secure the disputed land in the future, including by filing claims to compel its sale.

Accordingly, it says the land needed for the project can be purchased through legal procedures regardless of whether the Seoul Metropolitan Government or former Chairman Chung's heirs ultimately own it. If the lawsuits make it unnecessary for the association to purchase the land, related costs could also decrease.

A city official said, "We understand that the association calculated project costs and members' contributions on the assumption that it would purchase the disputed land. We will address property rights issues through the relevant procedures. Our position remains unchanged: we will support the project so it can proceed normally, as the Eunma reconstruction project is also important from the standpoint of housing supply."

Completed in 1979, Eunma Apartment comprises 28 buildings and 4,424 households. After reconstruction, it will be redeveloped into a complex with up to 49 floors and 5,850 households. The association is pursuing the project with the goal of beginning construction in 2028, following approval of the management and disposal plan, relocation and demolition.

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