Ui-dong Amusement Park Under Renovation, Additional Unregulated Development Will Be Prevented

The area around San 14-3. (Provided by Seoul City)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The land of the recreational area in Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul (formerly the Pine Tree Condo), which is currently being redeveloped, has had its zoning changed from a Type 1 General Residential Area to a Natural Green Area. This measure aims to prevent further indiscriminate development following past controversies over preferential treatment.

On the 7th, Seoul City held the 4th Urban Planning Committee meeting and announced on the 8th that the zoning of the 80,060㎡ recreational area in Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, was changed from a Type 1 General Residential Area to a Natural Green Area. At the same time, the committee approved the proposal to relax the floor area ratio for urban planning facility recreational areas within the Natural Green Area from 50% to 85% as originally planned.

Previously, the city resumed construction in 2019 on the condo, which had been left as an eyesore on the slopes of Bukhansan Mountain for seven years. Two buildings with two floors each were either demolished or reduced in height, and the gable roofs (shaped like the Korean letter ㅅ) were removed, lowering the building height by about 2 meters. The construction progress is currently about 75%, with completion expected in June.

This decision primarily aims to prevent further indiscriminate development in the Ui-dong recreational area and to ensure consistency with current urban planning facility regulations by changing the zoning to a Natural Green Area. Additionally, to reflect the scope of buildings outlined in the detailed facility development plan (floor area ratio up to 85%), the relaxation of regulations was included.

Seoul City stated, "With this zoning change decision, urban planning measures to restore the landscape of Bukhansan Mountain, which has been controversial since 2008, and to control further indiscriminate development have been completed."