[Report] "What if they keep building houses?"... Opposition Continues Within a Day to the 8·4 Supply Plan (Comprehensive)

Local Governments, Residents, and Ruling Party Lawmakers All "Oppose"... Gwacheon Shows Supply Plan Confusion

"Large Mart Only Opened a Few Years Ago" Residents Point Out Lack of Living Infrastructure

No Prior Consultation with Local Government... Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Says "Not an Issue to Discuss with Gwacheon City as It Is National Land"

Opposition Voices Led by Ruling Party Lawmakers Emerge Across the Site

Vacant land near the Government Gwacheon Complex, where 4,000 housing units are planned to be supplied according to the government housing supply measures announced on the 4th. The Government Gwacheon Complex can be seen in the background. (Photo by Lee Chunhee)

[Asia Economy Gwacheon=Reporter Lee Chun-hee] On the afternoon of the 4th, the idle land in front of the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, was quiet under the monsoon rain. The land, divided into three sections, is currently used as a playground, parking lot, and plaza.

On that day, the government announced a plan to build 4,000 housing units on this land, which has been neglected for decades. Right in front of the site is the Government Complex Gwacheon Station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 4. Immediately after the announcement, it was evaluated as a location comparable to the quasi-Gangnam area.

However, the development of the Gwacheon Complex site has caused discord since the announcement. Jeong Mo (28), a resident of Gwacheon, expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "Everyone says Gwacheon is a good place to live, but in reality, it’s a neighborhood without even a proper movie theater. A large supermarket was only barely established a few years ago," and added, "I don’t understand why everyone is so desperate to build houses."

Mr. A, a representative of a real estate agency in Byeolyang-dong, explained, "If houses are built on this site, the residential conditions will be excellent because it is a prime location directly connected to the subway station." However, he expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "The city has said it would develop the site, but since it is national land, it was not allowed. Now, suddenly wanting to build houses, I don’t understand the intention."

An official from a nearby real estate agency B also pointed out, "There are many redevelopment-ready apartments and ongoing development projects on the outskirts of the city, so the population is expected to increase. I don’t know what they expect if they build more houses without considering infrastructure."

Already Over 20,000 Housing Units Scheduled... Construction Everywhere Nearby

The view of 'Gwacheon Weverfield,' adjacent to the vacant land of the Government Gwacheon Complex. Construction is underway with the goal of moving in by January next year. (Photo by Lee Chunhee)

In fact, the area around the Government Complex Gwacheon housing site was full of construction sites. Right across the street, the building of 'Gwacheon Weverfield' (2,128 units), scheduled for occupancy in January next year, was almost completed. Nearby, officetels such as 'e-Pyeonhansesang City Gwacheon' (549 units) and 'Hillstate Gwacheon Central' (319 units) were also under construction.

Additionally, 8,422 housing units (12 complexes) are under construction in the Knowledge Information Town located on the outskirts of the city, and in 2026, 5,701 units will be supplied in the 'Gwacheon Juam Public Support Private Rental Housing Supply Promotion District.'

Opposition to the development of the Gwacheon Complex site has come not only from residents but also from Gwacheon City and ruling party Democratic Party lawmakers. Mayor Kim Jong-cheon of Gwacheon stated in a press release immediately after the government announcement, "It was unilaterally and abruptly announced without any prior consultation with Gwacheon City," adding, "We cannot help but feel deep concern and disappointment."

Mayor Kim said that many multi-family housing projects are already underway in Gwacheon and that "the city is cooperating as much as possible with the government's real estate policy," but "supplying another large-scale public housing of about 4,000 units would impose unbearable pain on Gwacheon citizens and the city." Therefore, he strongly demanded that the government exclude the Government Complex Gwacheon site and its idle land from the housing supply plan.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lee So-young, representing Gwacheon and Uiwang City, also expressed opposition on Facebook on the 4th, stating, "I express concern and regret," and added, "Using this symbolic and vital space of Gwacheon for housing supply is difficult to see as a proper utilization plan." According to nearby real estate agencies, a strong resistance to the large-scale rental housing planned through development is also part of this opposition.

Opposition Also Pours in from Tae-reung and Sangam Beyond Gwacheon

Taereung Golf Course, Nowon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The controversy surrounding the development of the Gwacheon Complex site is seen as a clear example of the government's supply plan's disorder. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the responsible department, stated that there was no situation to hold consultations. A ministry official explained, "The supply plan is confidential and cannot be disclosed separately," adding, "Since the site is national land for supporting the Government Complex Gwacheon and not city-owned land, it is difficult to consider Gwacheon City as a consultation party."

This collective backlash within the ruling party is not limited to Gwacheon. Similar controversies have arisen around large-scale housing supply sites such as Tae-reung Golf Course and the unsold land in Sangam DMC. There is consistent collective opposition from local residents, local governments, and district lawmakers.

On the 4th, Oh Seung-rok, mayor of Nowon-gu, sent a letter to President Moon Jae-in, expressing concern that "the high-density housing complexes, where 80% of all housing are apartments, will further deepen Nowon-gu’s status as a bedroom community," and requested that half of the Tae-reung Golf Course site be developed as a park with low-density housing supply.

Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Yong-jin, representing Nowon Gap, inspected the Tae-reung Golf Course site on the 3rd with Mayor Oh, and lawmakers Woo Won-shik (Nowon Eul) and Kim Sung-hwan (Nowon Byeong). On the 4th, he expressed concern, saying, "Residents’ worries are deep," and "I strongly express concern about the Ministry’s approach, which shows no countermeasures for the raised issues." Lawmakers Woo and Kim also posted similar statements on Facebook.

On the 3rd, Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, along with Assemblymen Ko Yong-jin, Woo Won-shik, and Kim Sung-hwan, who represent Nowon District, inspected the site of Taereung Golf Course. [Source=Assemblyman Ko Yong-jin's Facebook]

Jeong Cheong-rae, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Mapo Eul, where the Sangam DMC area is scheduled to supply a total of 6,200 new housing units under this plan, also expressed opposition. He strongly opposed, saying, "The rental housing rate in Sangam-dong already reaches 47%. Do we have to build more rental housing here?"

Yoo Dong-gyun, mayor of Mapo-gu from the same party, also expressed active opposition, saying, "This is not a plan from the perspective of Mapo’s urban development but rather treating Mapo only as a means of housing supply."

An industry insider pointed out, "Because they are trying to use every piece of land, even consultations with residents and local governments were not properly conducted," adding, "Even ruling party lawmakers agree with the overall plan but express completely different voices individually when it comes to local interests."