[Interview] Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, "Attracting Seoul National University Hospital to Create a City of Education and Culture with Jobs, Housing, and Transportation Conditions"

Seoul National University Hospital-Centered Bio Medical Complex Development, Accelerated Reconstruction and Redevelopment, and Promotion of Dongbuk Line Light Rail and GTX-C Line: The Three-Pronged Approach to Pioneering Nowon’s Future... Integrating Culture and Arts Naturally into Residents' Daily Lives... Nowon-gu’s Commitment from Education and Welfare Cradle to Grave

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “Pioneering Nowon’s future with jobs, housing, and transportation as the three driving forces, we will create a Nowon where everyone from infants to seniors can be happy by blending nature with culture.”

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, held a vision declaration ceremony with the launch of the 8th local government term, pledging to repay the trust of the residents.

Mayor Oh emphasized, “Nowon’s 100-year future depends on job creation through the establishment of a bio-medical complex centered around Seoul National University Hospital,” adding, “This is the key for Nowon to transform from a bedroom community into a self-sufficient city with proximity between residence and workplace.”

The long-awaited projects of relocating Changdong Vehicle Depot and Dobong Driver’s License Test Center, which have been a longstanding issue for Nowon District, achieved visible results during the 7th local government term. The plan for the bio-medical complex centered on Seoul National University Hospital to be built on the secured 75,000-pyeong (approximately 247,933 square meters) land has been further specified.

The goal is to create a world-class bio-medical complex by attracting large bio-medical corporations, small and medium enterprises, and research institutes centered on Nowon Seoul National University Hospital as the anchor facility. Nowon Seoul National University Hospital is planned as a 700-bed research-oriented hospital consisting of four buildings: medical treatment building, research and education building, convergence building, and administration building.

Additionally, a mixed commercial and cultural complex including a shopping mall will be formed underground connected to Nowon Station to enhance accessibility. Opposite this, a mixed commercial support complex including MICE (Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, Exhibition) facilities and hotels is planned. If the Seoul Arena performance hall in Changdong is completed in four years, the synergy effect will be further maximized.

Mayor Oh firmly stated, “We will communicate with Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul City, and Uijeongbu City to ensure the project proceeds without setbacks and will definitely achieve it.”

He also raised his voice on issues related to reconstruction and redevelopment. Mayor Oh pointed out, “Nowon District has the highest number of apartments over 30 years old in Seoul, but many complexes fail at the detailed safety inspection stage,” and “Nowon’s population has decreased by 130,000 over 20 years. The primary reason people leave Nowon is poor residential environment.”

He promised to continuously request the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to relax safety inspection standards, support detailed safety inspection costs through the district office, and help prevent the contraction of reconstruction projects.

Mayor Oh explained, “The Dongbuk Line light rail will open in July 2026, and the GTX-C line is scheduled to start construction next year. Once the Dongbuk Line light rail opens, it will take 26 minutes from Sanggye Station to Wangsimni Station, and the GTX-C line will reduce the travel time from Gwangwoon University Station to Samsung Station from 46 minutes to 9 minutes.” In four years, the Dongbuk Line light rail, Nowon’s fifth subway line, will be completed, making Nowon third in Seoul in terms of the number of subway stations, following Gangnam and Songpa. The opening of the Dongbuk Line light rail and GTX-C line is expected to greatly contribute to residents’ convenience and balanced regional development.

Mayor Oh confidently stated, “We will create a new Nowon experiencing a second renaissance through job creation with the bio-medical complex centered on Seoul National University Hospital, improvement of residential environment through reconstruction and redevelopment, and convenient transportation.”

In the 8th local government term, he plans to complete healing towns by adding the Choansan Circular Trail and Suraksan Natural Recreation Forest opening, extending the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail to Gwangwoon University Station, and extending the Danghyeoncheon Stream Trail to Danggogae Station, in addition to the four major healing towns (Gyeongchun Line, Bulamsan, Yeongchuksan, Suraksan) and four major streams (Jungnangcheon, Danghyeoncheon, Uicheon, Mukdongcheon).

Mayor Oh plans to remodel the Nowon Culture and Arts Center and build the Nowon District Art Museum to attract world-class performances and hold international exhibitions. He intends to regularly hold the Street Arts Festival visiting 19 neighborhoods to overcome the limitations of gatherings during COVID-19. Additionally, in June next year, the first craft beer festival will be held, aiming to establish it as one of Nowon’s four differentiated and specialized festivals alongside the existing Bulamsan Azalea Festival, Tal Festival, and Nowon Moonlight Walk.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok emphasized, “Today and tomorrow, I have no choice but to tie my shoelaces and run. As a mayor who works on the ground, I will do my best once again to be remembered as the mayor who solved Nowon’s long-standing issues and made a significant mark in creating a greater Nowon.”