“Speed Up Reconstruction of 1st Generation New Towns”… Angry Residents Deliver Petition to Presidential Office

The president and about 20 executive committee members of the '1st Generation New Town Comprehensive Reconstruction Association' are urging the enactment of the 1st Generation New Town Special Act within this year in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the morning of the 1st. They then submitted a petition with over 8,400 signatures reflecting these residents' demands to the Civil Complaints Office of the Presidential Office building. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] Residents of the five first-generation new towns visited the Presidential Office, the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Sejong Office to urge the enactment of the First-Generation New Town Special Act within this year and submitted a petition signed by residents.

The 'First-Generation New Town Comprehensive Reconstruction Alliance (Beomjaeyeon),' a coalition of reconstruction associations from the five first-generation new towns of Bundang, Ilsan, Sanbon, Pyeongchon, and Jungdong, held a placard protest on the morning of the 1st in front of the War Memorial opposite the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

At this event, Beomjaeyeon urged the completion of the master plan for the redevelopment of the first-generation new towns, scheduled for 2024, by the first half of next year. They also demanded the enactment of the First-Generation New Town Special Act within this year, which includes the complete abolition of safety inspections for buildings over 30 years old, the swift approval process, the abolition of the price ceiling system for pre-sale, and the abolition of the reconstruction excess profit recovery system. They submitted a petition signed by over 8,400 residents to the Ministry of National Defense's General Civil Complaints Office, which oversees complaints to the Presidential Office.

Choi Woo-sik, chairman of Beomjaeyeon, said, "If reconstruction plans are not promptly established and outdated regulations are not abolished, the entire first-generation new towns will simultaneously age and become slums," adding, "We urge you to listen to the earnest voices of the 2.4 million residents of the first-generation new towns and swiftly proceed with redevelopment projects."

On the same day, Beomjaeyeon also met with Kim Min-gi, chairman of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, at his office in Yeouido, Seoul, delivering demands for the abolition of reconstruction regulations and the residents' petition. Representative Kim said, "The 2 million households built by the state 30 years ago are now aging and causing problems," and added, "The issue of the first-generation new towns transcends party lines."

Meanwhile, in the afternoon, Beomjaeyeon also handed over the residents' petition and requests to an official in charge at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Beomjaeyeon plans to hold a rally next month to urge the prompt reconstruction of the first-generation new towns.