One Year After Moon Jae-in's Public Redevelopment Announcement... Not Even the First Shovel Has Been Dug

Project setbacks due to resident opposition in Heukseok 2 District and Geumho 23 District
Possibility of change to 'private-led' following Yoon's pledge raised

[Asia Economy Reporters Kangwook Cho and Seoyul Hwang] One year after the announcement of the February 4 housing supply plan, the project is still struggling without even breaking ground. Each major project candidate site is facing delays due to resident opposition, and administrative lawsuits are piling up. Some projects have yet to establish the legal basis. Since President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol has emphasized "private sector-led supply," there is speculation that the plan may be reshaped according to the new administration's policies.

Residents opposing public development in 13 districts of Seoul will hold a press conference on the 11th in front of Seoul City Hall to protest against the government and Seoul City's public development plans. The participating areas include Heukseok 2 District, Geumho 23 District, Sinseol 1 District, Gangbuk 5 District, Hongje-dong 3080, Singil 1 District, Singil 2 District, Singil 3 District, Singil 4 District, Yangpyeong 13 District, Geoye Saemaeul District, Yeongdeungpo District, and Heukseok 10 District?13 locations in total, all candidates for public redevelopment. The emergency response committee of these 13 districts stated, "The public redevelopment projects, which are being hastily pushed forward while attempting to seize residents' homes and infringe on the property rights of the majority of landowners, must be stopped immediately." After the press conference, they will also submit a petition to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

The first public redevelopment project, Heukseok 2 District, had scheduled the construction company bidding deadline on the 19th and a joint briefing session on the 1st of next month. Although the redevelopment opposition filed a provisional injunction lawsuit in January this year against Dongjak District to suspend the designation of the project implementer, it was dismissed last month. Choi Johong, head of the Heukseok 2 District public redevelopment opposition emergency committee, said, "We have also filed the main lawsuit and a constitutional complaint, and will continue joint struggles." He added that they plan to visit the Presidential Transition Committee around the end of this month to submit a petition and urge resolution of the situation.

Legal disputes are also ongoing. Residents opposing the Seoul Eunpyeong District Jeungsan 4 District project, selected as the first urban complex project, filed an administrative lawsuit at the end of last month requesting the cancellation of the official designation of the urban complex project main district. Recently, Singil 4 District demanded the withdrawal of its candidate site selection and filed a criminal complaint against Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Noh Hyung-wook for abuse of authority. Residents near Bucheon Sosa in Gyeonggi Province and Gasan Digital Complex Station in Seoul also filed complaints against Minister Noh on the 8th and 22nd of last month, respectively.

The number of areas opposing public-led development seems to be increasing following the election of a presidential candidate who emphasized private sector-led supply. In August last year, only three areas?Heukseok 2 District, Geumho 23 District, and Sinseol 1 District?participated in the public redevelopment opposition coalition. Expectations that the new government will support private-led reconstruction and redevelopment have intensified conflicts among residents. In fact, in the case of public direct implementation maintenance projects, related bills have yet to pass the National Assembly, leading to the recent removal of Naeson Furniture District in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, from the maintenance district due to the expiration of the sunset clause extension deadline. Because of this, there are growing concerns that the current government's public-led February 4 supply plan may be completely overhauled after the new administration takes office.

Seo Jin-hyung, co-representative of the Fair Housing Forum and professor at Gyeongin Women's University, said, "With the inauguration of the new government, the public-led supply policy has lost its driving force," and predicted, "After President-elect Yoon's inauguration, public redevelopment is likely to shift to private-led redevelopment."