[Interview] Lee Dong-jin, Dobong-gu Mayor: "Seoul Arena Construction to Propel Dobong-gu as a 'Music City'"

Seoul Arena-Wishing Changdong New Economic Center Creation for Music City, Culture City Dobong Leap... Dobong-gu First Proposed Arena Construction to Seoul in 2012, Groundbreaking Ceremony Scheduled for June 2022 After 10 Years of Effort

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] "'Seoul Arena' is a mega music performance hall with a seating capacity of 18,000, accommodating up to 28,000 people during standing concerts. In addition, as a complex cultural facility, it will include a medium-sized performance hall with 2,000 seats, a cinema, and commercial facilities. Once Seoul Arena is built and transportation infrastructure such as GTX-C and KTX is established, approximately 1.8 million people will visit Dobong-gu annually for cultural content including K-POP concerts."

Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said in an interview with this publication, "The Changdong New Economic Center project, led by Seoul Arena, will be the future growth engine of Dobong and further the economic development of the northeastern region of Seoul."

The push for 'Seoul Arena,' Korea's first popular music specialized performance hall, is gaining momentum. It is planned to be built on approximately 50,000㎡ near Changdong Station in Dobong-gu (around Changdong 1-23, 1-24). On April 4th, at Seoul City Hall, a 'Seoul Arena Complex Cultural Facility Private Investment Project Implementation Agreement' was held with attendees including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Dobong-gu Mayor Lee Dong-jin, Kakao Chairman Kim Sung-soo, and Kakao CEO Namgoong Hoon.

The agreement ceremony was arranged to designate the project implementer responsible for the construction and operation of Seoul Arena and to finalize project implementation conditions. Through the agreement, Kakao, as the main investor, was designated as the project implementer under the provisional name 'Seoul Arena.'

Following this agreement, 'Seoul Arena' plans to obtain implementation plan approval and building permits within the first half of this year and hold a groundbreaking ceremony next month.

Mayor Lee Dong-jin explained that the 'Changdong New Economic Center Development Project' is not only about the Seoul Arena complex cultural facility but also includes ▲ Seed Cube Changdong (startup and cultural industry complex) ▲ Changdong Aurene (northeastern generation convergence complex facility) ▲ Seoul Robot Artificial Intelligence Science Museum ▲ Seoul Photography Museum ▲ Changdong Station Complex Transfer Center ▲ East-West connecting bridge between Changdong and Sanggye, all of which are key projects to revitalize the economy, culture, and living infrastructure of the northeastern metropolitan area with a population of 3.2 million.

Already, 'Changdong Aurene' was completed in November 2020 with 2 basement floors and 5 above-ground floors, covering a total floor area of 17,744㎡. It operates ▲ youth startups (Northeast Startup Center) ▲ middle-aged entrepreneurship and reemployment (50 Plus Northern Campus) ▲ youth and artist housing (Changdong Aurene Village) ▲ civic organization activities (Northeast NPO Support Center).

Also, 'Seed Cube Changdong (Dobong-gu Changdong 1-28),' which will house ▲ cultural startup offices ▲ startup creative residences ▲ cultural attraction facilities, is under construction on a 143,551㎡ site with 7 basement floors and 49 above-ground floors, aiming for completion in May 2023. The 'Seoul Robot Artificial Intelligence Science Museum (Dobong-gu Changdong 1-25),' featuring ▲ exhibition halls ▲ VR/AR rooms ▲ education and practice rooms ▲ complex cultural spaces, is also being developed with 2 basement floors and 4 above-ground floors on a 2,500㎡ site with a total floor area of 7,405㎡.

Meanwhile, the 'Changdong Private Investment Station' (Changdong 135-1 and 6 other parcels), which had remained halted for 11 years, is scheduled to resume construction by the end of May 2022 with a target completion date of May 2025. The station, with 2 basement floors and 10 above-ground floors covering a total floor area of 87,047㎡, was approved for construction in 2004 for sales and transportation facilities and started construction the same year but was suspended in November 2010.

Subsequently, corporate rehabilitation procedures began in November 2019, and on May 18 last year, the Seoul Rehabilitation Court approved the corporate rehabilitation plan. Finally, on January 28, 2022, a contract was signed with the construction company (Lotte Construction), and construction is set to resume.

Mayor Lee Dong-jin has aimed to shed Dobong-gu's image as a suburban bedroom community of Seoul. In 2011, he first conceived the idea of an arena performance hall as the first local government to do so and proposed the construction of an arena performance hall to Seoul City in January 2012.

However, the process was not easy. Seoul Arena faced setbacks such as failing to be selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for arena performance halls, the announcement of rental apartment supply plans in Changdong by Seoul City, and delays in passing eligibility assessments.

Nevertheless, Mayor Lee Dong-jin continuously proposed the 'Changdong area urban regeneration project,' including Seoul Arena, to Seoul City. This led to the announcement of the new economic center development in Changdong and Sanggye in February 2015, inclusion in the five-year national administration plan regional pledges in July 2017, and securing private investment eligibility in December 2018. After 10 years, Seoul Arena is now on the verge of its long-awaited groundbreaking.

Mayor Lee Dong-jin emphasized once again that during the remaining period, "Dobong-gu will actively cooperate with Seoul City and Kakao to ensure the smooth construction and operation of Seoul Arena. We will actively support music industry development policies so that 'Changdong' can establish itself as a genuine 'music city' where music consumption, production, and distribution occur simultaneously."