Daekwang ENC and JS Global Withdraw Application for Change of Status
The fate of the apartments built around Jangneung in Gimpo is expected to be decided in court. Two out of three construction companies withdrew their review requests a day before the Cultural Heritage Committee meeting.
According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on the 8th, Daekwang ENC (construction by Daekwang Geonyeong) and JS Global (construction by Geumseong Baekjo), which are building apartments in Geomdan New Town, Seo-gu, Incheon, announced their intention to withdraw their applications for change of status to create apartment complexes within the Jangneung Historical and Cultural Environment Preservation Area. Change of status refers to actions that alter the current state of cultural heritage and its surrounding environment.
The height limit for changes of status in the Jangneung Historical and Cultural Environment Preservation Area, a nationally designated cultural heritage site and UNESCO World Heritage site, is 20 meters. The three construction companies built apartments 70 to 80 meters high without submitting individual review applications. When looking ahead from the Jangneung royal tomb, Gyeyang Mountain is obscured. According to geomantic principles, Joseon royal tombs have a main mountain (jusan) behind and an ancestral mountain (josan) in front. Gyeyang Mountain is the josan for Gimpo Jangneung.
The "2nd Royal Tombs-World Heritage Joint Subcommittee," which reviews the development of apartment complexes around the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site "Gimpo Jangneung," was held privately on the 28th at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
The Cultural Heritage Administration claims that nineteen out of forty-four apartment buildings, part of a complex of about 3,400 households, fall within the cultural heritage preservation area and did not undergo prior review, violating the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. On the other hand, the construction companies argue that Incheon Urban Corporation, which sold the apartment land in 2014, applied for the cultural heritage change of status permit to Gimpo City Hall, so there is no issue.
Changes of status for nationally designated cultural heritage are reviewed by the Cultural Heritage Committee. It is reported that Daekwang ENC and JS Global refused the review because there is a high possibility they will be required to partially demolish buildings to reduce their height. In fact, the prevailing atmosphere is that approval cannot be granted by merely changing the exterior wall color or design.
Another construction company, Daebang Construction, may also join the virtually anticipated lawsuit. Currently, construction on twelve apartment buildings by Daekwang ENC and JS Global has been halted since September 30th following a court ruling on the stop-work order issued by the Cultural Heritage Administration. Construction is ongoing on seven apartment buildings by Daebang Construction, which are relatively farther from Jangneung.
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