[Anchor]
When the government and the ruling party pushed to transfer authority over redevelopment and reconstruction projects for complexes with 500 households or fewer to autonomous districts, the Seoul Metropolitan Government strongly opposed the move, urging a complete reconsideration. It criticized the measure as ineffective and detached from on-the-ground realities, but the Democratic Party reiterated its determination to push forward with the plan.
Reporter Yun Nara has the details.
[Reporter]
Regarding the plan by the government and the ruling party to grant autonomous districts authority over redevelopment and reconstruction projects of 500 households or fewer in Seoul to accelerate project progress, the Seoul Metropolitan Government criticized it as being "out of touch with the field."
The city explained that out of the nine stages of a redevelopment project—which typically take more than 12 years—only two stages are subject to the city's approval authority, taking merely about four months, while authority for the remaining seven stages already lies with the autonomous districts.
In particular, the city expressed concern that if different redevelopment standards are applied across autonomous districts, it could lead to fragmentation and chaotic development driven by individual association demands for profitability, which might actually delay projects.
It further pointed out that what is truly needed to accelerate redevelopment projects is "government deregulation."
[Kim Dong-gu / Acting Director of Architectural Planning, Seoul Metropolitan Government: What actually blocks projects in the field are government regulations, such as restrictions on relocation expense loans and the transfer of association member status. (The government) must completely reconsider policies that only increase confusion on the ground.]
Immediately following the Seoul city briefing, the Democratic Party released a statement declaring it would fulfill its legislative responsibilities to accelerate housing supply, reiterating its commitment to transferring redevelopment project authority to autonomous districts, a topic discussed at a high-level party-government meeting yesterday (August 23).
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Pressure was also put on Seoul regarding the housing supply plan for Yongsan Park.
[Hahn Byung-do / Floor Leader, Democratic Party of Korea: We must discuss opening up all possibilities, exploring whether there are ways to supply housing while upholding the principles of maintaining park functions and preserving green spaces.]
The Seoul Metropolitan Government made its stance of "opposition" clear, citing its own public opinion poll showing that 63% of citizens oppose supplying housing in Yongsan Park.
[Oh Se-hoon / Mayor of Seoul (Oh Se-hoon TV): If I were to agree to turning even a part of Yongsan into apartment building sites, I feel the (sense of responsibility) that I would become a sinner before history for generations to come.]
Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yoon-deok are scheduled to meet again this week to continue discussions.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video Reported by Joo Bum, Kim Heung-ki | Video Edited by Yoon Tae-ho)
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