Sanggye Jugong 14 Complex Passed Preliminary Safety Inspection but Blocked by 'Unsurpassable' Safety Diagnosis for Reconstruction

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] The Sangyeju-gong 14 Complex in Sangye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, which was completed 32 years ago, has conditionally passed the preliminary safety inspection, the first gateway to reconstruction. Among the 16 complexes in the Sangye district, 9 are approaching the detailed safety inspection stage, creating a momentum for reconstruction projects in the area. However, concerns are also rising that the recent tightening of safety inspection regulations, which has led to more complexes failing the second safety inspection, may slow down the pace of reconstruction projects in the area.

According to Nowon District Office on the 14th, the Sangyeju-gong 14 Complex received a D grade in the preliminary safety inspection on the 3rd and was conditionally approved. To proceed with reconstruction, a complex must receive a grade of D or lower among grades A to E. With the preliminary safety inspection passed, this complex can now move on to the detailed safety inspection stage.

Completed in 1989, the Sangyeju-gong 14 Complex is a mid-rise apartment complex with 26 buildings and 2,265 households, with a maximum of 15 floors above ground. It is a station-area complex located in front of Madeul Station on Subway Line 7, consisting of units ranging from 58 to 118 square meters (exclusive area).

With the addition of the 14th Complex, 9 out of the 16 Sangyeju-gong complexes have passed the preliminary safety inspection and are awaiting detailed safety inspections: Complexes 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, and 16. Among the reconstruction complexes in the area, the fastest is Complex 5, which completed the designation of the maintenance zone in January this year. Complex 6, which received a D grade in the detailed safety inspection, is awaiting appropriateness review by public institutions.

The Sangye-dong area has gained momentum for reconstruction projects since Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon took office. The complexes in this area have been evaluated as having relatively low housing prices and high floor area ratios compared to other major reconstruction complexes, resulting in lower profitability. However, with Mayor Oh promising deregulation, investment demand has surged. Moreover, major reconstruction areas such as Apgujeong-dong in Gangnam-gu, Yeouido-dong in Yeongdeungpo, and Mok-dong in Yangcheon-gu have been designated as land transaction permission zones, while the Nowon-gu area has avoided this designation, changing the situation.

On the other hand, the reconstruction project in the area has faced a red light after the Taereung Woosung Apartment failed the second detailed safety inspection on the 16th of last month. Completed in 1985, Taereung Woosung is the oldest complex among the reconstruction projects in the area and had high expectations for passing the second detailed safety inspection. However, it received a score of 60.07 (C grade, maintenance/repair), more than 10 points higher than the first safety inspection score of 48.98 (D grade), which has hindered progress.

As a result, more complexes in the area are delaying their safety inspections. The Sangyeju-gong 3 Complex decided to postpone the ongoing detailed safety inspection on the 26th of last month. The nearby Complex 6 also concluded last month to postpone the second detailed safety inspection, originally planned for this year, to next year. A resident of the 14th Complex, which recently passed the preliminary safety inspection, said, "We still need to hold a residents' meeting to know for sure, but there is a growing voice to adjust the pace due to increasing anxiety about safety inspections."

Outside of Nowon, complexes receiving reconstruction disapproval judgments are increasing across Seoul. The Godeokju-gong 9 Complex in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, completed in 1985, passed the first detailed safety inspection with a D grade at the end of last year but received a C grade in the appropriateness review last month, halting project progress. The 11th Complex in the New Town area of Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, also received a C grade in the second detailed safety inspection in March, resulting in a reconstruction disapproval judgment.

The Moon Jae-in administration raised the weighting of structural safety, one of the evaluation items in safety inspections, from 20% to 50% in 2017 to fundamentally block reconstruction progress. As complexes repeatedly failed safety inspections and dissatisfaction grew, the Seoul Metropolitan Government officially requested in April to lower the structural safety weighting from 50% to 30%, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has shown no significant response so far.