Seoul mayor opposes plan to transfer zoning authority for small developments

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has strongly reiterated his opposition to the central government's proposal to transfer zoning designation authority for developments under 500 units to district offices. He characterized the plan as politically driven and disconnected from the realities on the ground.

“

Actual events happening on the ground are unknown, politically motivated.

During a session at the Seoul City Council, Mayor Oh addressed questions about potential bottlenecks in the current zoning process. He argued that most of the process, aside from urban planning committee reviews and integrated reviews for business execution permits, already falls under district office authority. He stated that integrated reviews are completed within three months, refuting claims of significant delays.

“

The claim that a bottleneck occurs because zoning designation is concentrated in Seoul City Hall is a claim detached from reality.

Oh expressed concern that district offices, particularly those led by Democratic Party mayors, lack the necessary expertise and accumulated experience in urban development. He warned that transferring authority could lead to inconsistent standards across different districts and foster "fragmentation and haphazard development." The mayor believes that larger, consolidated zoning areas, such as New Towns, are more efficient for planning amenities like schools and convenience facilities. He fears that dividing areas into smaller zones could lead to either an oversupply or a complete lack of necessary services.

“

District offices have few experts and experienced personnel in urban development, and unified standards are unlikely to be applied across districts.

Furthermore, the mayor questioned the ability of 25 district mayors to rationally and autonomously adjust conflicting interests, a task that even the city government finds challenging as a central control tower. He suggested that devolving this authority could paradoxically slow down projects, as internal conflicts within existing developer groups could lead to the formation of splinter factions in smaller zones. He cited an example of over 580 redevelopment and reconstruction projects currently underway, many of which face internal disputes. The mayor also referenced criticism from urban planning professor Ma Gang-rae, who warned against pursuing the plan without thorough expert consultation, calling it a "political slogan."

“

If the zoning area is wider, like New Town, efficiency is greater. This is because schools and convenience facilities can be appropriately arranged within a wide scope.