[Seoul District News] Jung-gu Revises Yaksu District Unit Plan After 8 Years: Eases Building Height Limits, Minimizes Joint Development, and Significantly Relaxes Regulations & Resident Briefing on Sept 1, Public Review Until Sept 7 Before Final Decision... Gangdong-gu Excluded from Preliminary Feasibility Study for Subway Line 5 Direct Connection Project, Plans to Reapply
Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu (left), is explaining the redevelopment status of the Yaksu-dong area to residents at the Dong Resident Meeting held at the Yaksu-dong Community Center on the 21st of last month.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The development timeline for Yaksu Intersection, the eastern hub of Jung-gu, is expected to be accelerated.
Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) announced that it will revise the Yaksu district unit plan for the first time in eight years and officially announce it in September. A related residents' briefing session will also be held on September 1.
The target area is around Yaksu Intersection, where Dongho-ro and Dasan-ro intersect, centered on Yaksu Station (Lines 3 and 6) of the subway. The area covers approximately 169,000㎡, with neighborhood living facilities such as restaurants and convenience stores along the main roads, and residential facilities located in the back areas.
The main point of the revised Yaksu district unit plan is the relaxation of development regulations that had hindered environmental improvement.
First, the building height restrictions were adjusted: along the main roads, the maximum height was raised from 50m to 60m, and in the residential back areas, from 20m to 30m. The maximum development scale per lot was also increased from 1,300㎡ to 1,500㎡ along the main roads, and from 600㎡ to 700㎡ in the back areas.
Additionally, the previously strict requirement for joint development among owners was minimized to lower the development threshold. Furthermore, the recommended building uses were adjusted to allow cultural facilities such as performance halls or exhibition centers along the main roads, thereby strengthening the station area.
The eastern part of Jung-gu is a core area where over 70% of the district's population resides. Among them, Yaksu Intersection is considered the key gateway of Jung-gu due to the presence of Yaksu Station, a transportation hub.
The development trend of Yaksu Intersection rapidly changed after Mayor Kim Gil-seong took office in the 8th term of the local government. The Yaksu district unit plan, first decided in 2001, had been revised twice but did not significantly support local development, remaining at a passive management level rather than revitalizing the plan's direction.
Mayor Kim emphasized the relaxation of development regulations along Dasan-ro to resolve the hollowing-out phenomenon and inject vitality into the stagnant downtown throughout the year.
Ultimately, this policy intention was reflected in the third revision process of the plan. After completing the residents' review, the district further refined the revision plan and received approval from Seoul City at the end of July.
The district will hold a residents' briefing session on the revised Yaksu district unit plan at 7 p.m. on September 1 at the Yaksu-dong Youth Center and will conduct another residents' review until September 7.
Moreover, the briefing session will disclose basic information on station area development and future policy directions of Jung-gu related to this, attracting considerable attention.
Going forward, Jung-gu plans to continuously supplement the Yaksu district unit plan to further expand the relaxation scope, as it pursues easing height restrictions around Namsan and high-density mixed-use development along Dasan-ro.
Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "Although Yaksu Intersection represents the face of Jung-gu, it has been tied down for a long time. The revised Yaksu district unit plan, which will invigorate station area mixed-use development and improve aging residential areas, will be a meaningful first step for regional development."
Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced that the ‘Line 5 Direct Connection Project’ was not selected as a preliminary feasibility study target project at the 3rd Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance held on the 24th.
The urban railway Line 5 direct connection project was included in the ‘2nd Seoul Urban Railway Network Construction Plan’ by Seoul City in February 2019 and has been promoted since then. After approval by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in November 2020, Seoul City conducted a preliminary feasibility study service to expedite the project, which was completed in December last year.
After the completion of the study, Seoul City submitted a request for a preliminary feasibility study to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in May this year. The Ministry reviewed the Line 5 direct connection project at the Investment Review Committee in June and submitted it to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance as a candidate for the preliminary feasibility study.
Subway Line 5, which connects Gangdong-gu and downtown Seoul, branches and operates from Gangdong Station toward Hanam Geomdansan and Macheon directions, effectively operating as a half-line. As a result, compared to other subway lines, the interval between trains is more than twice as long, and congestion has increased residents' inconvenience.
To address the structural limitations of Line 5, the district has built a cooperative system with Seoul City and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which oversee the project, and has continuously consulted to ensure the Line 5 direct connection project is selected as a preliminary feasibility study target.
Especially, since June, shortly after Mayor Lee Soo-hee was elected in the 8th term, close communication with Seoul City regarding project progress has been maintained. The mayor personally visited the Metropolitan Transportation Committee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Feasibility Review Division of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance to actively advocate for the project's selection as a preliminary feasibility study target.
On August 16, the district prepared a proposal document comprehensively reviewing rapid changes in traffic demand due to housing, commercial, and office district development in Gangdong-gu, population growth trends, future development plans, complaint trends, and big data analysis results related to subway Line 5 usage in Gangdong-gu. This was submitted to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Seoul City, requesting cooperation to ensure the Line 5 direct connection project is selected as a preliminary feasibility study target at the Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee.
Despite these efforts, the district expressed deep regret that the Line 5 direct connection project was not included as a preliminary feasibility study target at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance's Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee on August 24. The district plans to continuously appeal to the central government to supplement the urgency and necessity of the project so that it can be included.
Mayor Lee Soo-hee of Gangdong-gu said, "Although I have prioritized transportation policy since the inauguration of the mayor's transition committee to proactively respond to increasing traffic demand, I deeply regret this decision that ignores the inconvenience of residents suffering from overcrowded trains. We will continue to consult with related organizations to ensure the Line 5 direct connection project is selected as a preliminary feasibility study target."
She added, "We will also do our best to promptly complete the ongoing extensions of subway Lines 8 and 9, successfully promote the attraction of the GTX-D line to Gangdong-gu, and transform Gangdong-gu into a transportation hub city encompassing the eastern metropolitan area."
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