[On-site Video] "I Will Die in Pain" Residents of Gimpo Jangneung Apartments Hold 'Silent Protest'

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern PD Lim Hye-won] "I felt like the sky was falling."

Three apartment complexes under construction near the Joseon royal tomb, Jangneung in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, a cultural heritage preservation area, received a stop-work order from the Cultural Heritage Administration, prompting prospective residents to hold a rally.

Among them, residents belonging to the "Emergency Countermeasures Committee for Prospective Residents Affected by Gimpo Jangneung" held a silent protest on the 30th of last month in front of the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Headquarters for Royal Tombs and Historic Sites in Jongno-gu, Seoul, demanding the resumption of construction.

The committee is composed of prospective residents of apartments being built by three construction companies?Daekwang ENC, JS Global, and Daebang Construction?within a 500-meter radius historical and cultural environment preservation area around Gimpo Jangneung.

At the headquarters of the Royal Tombs and Historic Sites on that day, resident A said, "We applied normally in November 2019 and were selected," adding, "We are prospective residents scheduled to move in June 2022." He continued, "But suddenly, after seeing news that the apartments are illegal buildings without permits, I truly felt like the sky was falling," expressing his frustration.

On the afternoon of the 14th last month, prospective residents of an apartment complex in Geomdan New Town, Wondang-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, where construction was halted by order of the Cultural Heritage Administration, are having a meeting with construction company officials.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Resident A said, "The Cultural Heritage Administration only insists that these are illegal buildings and cannot grant permission," raising his voice, "There are about seven months left until the move-in date, but construction has been halted for nearly two to three months now." He emphasized, "We ask that the residents and the Cultural Heritage Administration come up with a mutually acceptable solution."

Meanwhile, the apartments in Geomdan New Town, which face possible demolition due to the Cultural Heritage Administration’s refusal to approve construction, consist of about 3,400 households across 44 buildings from three construction companies, with 19 buildings affected.

Among them, construction was previously halted on all nine buildings (735 households) of the Daekwang ENC project, and on three buildings (244 households) out of 12 buildings (1,249 households) by JS Global.