New Public Housing District Designated in Seoul Amidst Resident Opposition

South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has designated a new public housing district, 'Seoul Siripul 2,' in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. The project aims to supply 2,000 public housing units, with construction targeted to begin in December 2028. Spanning 193,259 square meters, the district received approval after a review process including public consultation and environmental impact assessments. The location is noted for its excellent accessibility to Seoul's Gangnam district and its proximity to natural environments like Umyeon Mountain. Alongside the 'Siripul 1' district, designated in February, Siripul 2 is planned as a residential area supporting the high-tech industries in the Yangjae and Gangnam areas, emphasizing a live-work balance. The ministry intends to expedite the project, shortening the typical 56-month timeline from district designation to construction start by over two years. This acceleration is achieved by concurrently preparing subsequent procedures like district planning and proceeding with site development and housing design simultaneously. "Siripul 2, along with Siripul 1, is a public land development project in the Gangnam area," stated Lee Jae-pyeong, Director of Housing Supply Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "We will aggressively cut unnecessary procedures and pursue the project with speed by running licensing and construction in parallel." However, resident opposition poses a variable to the project's progress. On August 9th, residents from the Songdong and Sigyuchon villages, along with members of the Woomeongdong Catholic Church, submitted a petition to the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul City, and Seocho District. They requested that their church and villages be excluded from the acquisition and demolition plans. The residents argued that the church and villages form a religious community for over 4,000 parishioners and a traditional village community spanning more than 500 years. They urged that preservation measures be considered from the district planning stage. Furthermore, they pointed out that the area encompassing the church and villages constitutes only 1.88% of the total Siripul district area, asserting that the supply target can still be met even if these areas are preserved.

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Siripul 2, along with Siripul 1, is a public land development project in the Gangnam area. We will aggressively cut unnecessary procedures and pursue the project with speed by running licensing and construction in parallel.