[Interview] Lee Gijae, Yangcheon District Mayor: "Mokdong Reconstruction Will Transform Us into a Future-Oriented New Town"

Expecting Rebirth with Momentum Gained from Mokdong Reconstruction District Unit Plan Approval... Strong Leap Toward 'Education Special Zone' in Yangcheon, the Future and Happy Education City of Korea... Establishing Administrative Support for Safety-First Yangcheon, Emphasizing Vigilance and Preparedness... Commitment to Pioneering the 'Second Yangcheon Era'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “We will do our best to transform Yangcheon-gu into a new town within Seoul, a city within a special city, beautifully reborn.”

Lee Gi-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu (photo), expressed his determination regarding the reconstruction project, the biggest pending issue in Yangcheon-gu and a long-cherished desire of the residents, in an interview.

On the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Urban Architecture Joint Committee finally approved the modification of the Mokdong Residential Development District unit plan after about four years, raising expectations for the long-stalled reconstruction project. Currently, the Mokdong New Town Apartments 1 to 14 complexes, with 26,000 households, will be expanded more than twice to about 53,000 households with buildings up to 35 stories, creating a mega residential area. The district plans to conduct a resident re-review of the unit plan decision and amendment reflecting the modification approval next month and hold a residents’ briefing session.

The mayor said, “Until now, Mokdong Apartments failed to pass the safety inspection hurdle due to the government’s strengthened regulations in 2018, but recently the government announced that the safety inspection regulations will be advanced to December.” He added, “Now, all complexes over 34 years old are entering the stage of establishing maintenance plans, and reconstruction will proceed on a normal track.” In particular, he said, “The 6th complex, which passed the safety inspection, will gain more momentum through the rapid integrated planning selection linked with the unit plan.” He continued, “We will not stop at just passing the review but will focus all administrative power on promoting the Mokdong reconstruction, a long-standing wish of the residents, by closely consulting with Seoul City to restore residents’ damages such as unconditional restoration of complexes 1 to 3.”

As an urban planning expert with a master’s and doctorate in urban engineering, Mayor Lee joined the Seoul City Urban Planning Committee on the 2nd, raising expectations that he will represent the voices of autonomous districts and gain driving force for reconstruction and redevelopment projects, which are local issues.

He has repeatedly emphasized that reconstruction safety inspections should be approached as a safety issue for residents, not as a supply policy tool for the housing market. Since immediately after his election, he has continuously visited related ministries such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City to request easing of safety inspection standards, tirelessly working to promote reconstruction at a rapid pace, and his efforts have resulted in the approval of the unit plan district review.

Additionally, he announced plans to elevate Yangcheon-gu, a representative educational city in the southwestern region of Seoul, to a special education district attracting nationwide attention.

Yangcheon-gu plans to maximize its strength in education, which is an inherent advantage as a residential city, to secure greater competitiveness.

In particular, through the 2023 Yangcheon Education Support Project briefing session ending on the 25th, he revealed plans to significantly increase next year’s education expense subsidies. This reflects Mayor Lee’s educational philosophy aiming for global future education and his firm will to create a future-oriented educational environment.

He plans to remodel the aging public youth reading rooms into smart study cafes, creating self-directed learning spaces. Also, to reduce educational polarization and prepare residents for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, he plans to install an AI Robot Experience and Education Center (tentative name) to help residents develop various competencies such as creativity and convergence required by future society.

He also showed strong determination to create a safe city. Mayor Lee has emphasized safety by practicing “field administration,” one of the three major district administrative principles, through on-site visits two to three times a week on average, prioritizing the safety of residents.

He visited sites such as apartment exterior wall detachment locations, CCTV control centers, Shinmok Elementary School construction sites, and the Yangcheon Life Safety Experience Education Center to check residents’ safety, stating, “To protect residents from disasters and accidents, it never feels enough to keep checking. Administration must be a fence that protects residents’ safety, and for this, we must always be vigilant and prepare in advance.”

Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, “Currently, Yangcheon-gu stands at the threshold of new changes and innovations. I feel a great sense of mission as the mayor at this very important turning point that could determine the next 50 years of the district’s future, and I want to be remembered as the mayor who prepared well for Yangcheon-gu’s future and pioneered the second era of Yangcheon.”