[Interview] Oh Eun-seok, Dobong District Mayor, "I Will Lead Tangible Changes for Residents Through On-Site Administration"

O Eon-seok, Dobong District Chief: "We will create a turning point to kickstart the stagnant economy and deteriorated environment through reconstruction and redevelopment"... Initiating 'Dobong-style solidarity with the vulnerable' to build a 'Dobong without gaps where no one is left behind'... The process of elevating the GTX-C Dobong section exposed Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's faults through the Board of Audit and Inspection's public audit

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “According to the 2021 Statistics Korea survey, the overall life satisfaction of Dobong-gu residents scored 5.99 out of 10, ranking the lowest among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts. The 8th term of Dobong-gu’s local government will be a time of transition to kickstart the stagnant economy and underdeveloped environment.”

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, emphasized that in order to improve residents’ life satisfaction, the exercise of limited property rights must first be made freer.

To this end, Mayor Oh formed the ‘Urban Development Support TF Team’ on July 11, immediately after taking office in the 8th term, to swiftly promote reconstruction and redevelopment projects. Starting January 1 next year, through organizational restructuring, a dedicated department called the ‘Reconstruction and Redevelopment Division’ will be launched to actively support regulatory relaxation, residential environment improvement, and revitalization of housing supply.

Since 1990, the area around Bukhansan National Park in Dobong-gu has been designated as a height restriction zone, which has slowed regional development. As of 2022, the ratio of old housing is the second highest among the 25 autonomous districts at 67.80%. This is about 20% more aged than the overall old housing ratio in Seoul. Mayor Oh stated, “Whether it is the government’s Urban Public Housing Complex Project or Seoul City’s Rapid Integrated Planning, we will spare no effort to support these projects to proceed in ways that residents desire. In areas where large-scale development is not possible, we will actively promote small-scale housing maintenance projects such as Moa Housing to improve the residential environment and revitalize housing supply.”

There have also been achievements. In Chang 2-dong, redevelopment had been difficult due to its special status as a semi-industrial area, but as a result of Dobong-gu’s active support, they received a response that they are eligible to apply for the second round of Rapid Integrated Planning housing redevelopment project candidates announced by Seoul City.

Additionally, recognizing that many semi-industrial areas require amendments to related laws for reconstruction and redevelopment, Dobong-gu actively proposed revisions to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and a partial amendment bill was submitted on September 27.

Relaxation of height restrictions is also a core issue for Dobong-gu’s reconstruction and redevelopment. The height restriction zone around Bukhansan in Dobong-gu covers 1.163㎢ and faces many limitations. Accordingly, Dobong-gu has prepared a relaxation adjustment plan to reset the scope and height in line with the purpose of the height restriction zone designation and plans to actively consult with Seoul City on this matter.

Currently, the district is conducting a ‘Study on Management Measures for the Bukhansan Surrounding Use District (Height Restriction Zone)’ to establish reasonable management plans for the height restriction zone based on current status surveys and problem analysis.

Mayor Oh Eon-seok’s policies and vision all come from the ‘field.’ The reconstruction and redevelopment projects also originated from the passion for change and desire for growth heard directly from residents on site.

In fact, many of Mayor Oh’s campaign promises that have been fulfilled relate to the field and daily life, such as ‘parking enforcement suspension near small restaurants during meal times’ and ‘small business manager’ programs.

Along with this, Mayor Oh also emphasized the results of the public audit request submitted by Dobong-gu to the Board of Audit and Inspection in April regarding the ground-level construction of the GTX-C line section in Dobong.

The Board of Audit and Inspection pointed out that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport improperly changed the project section from the original plan during the promotion process and private operator selection for the GTX-C line, inadequately reviewed inquiries and responses, and failed to properly conduct post-measures such as private investment feasibility reviews. They ordered the preparation of the most reasonable implementation alternatives that align with the project’s purpose based on the private investment feasibility review scheduled for January next year.

The GTX-C line, the metropolitan area express railway C line, underwent a preliminary feasibility study (December 2018) and a feasibility study and basic plan (October 2020). Initially, the entire Dobong-gu section was planned as underground construction, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expanded the ground-level construction section to include Dobong-gu during the process of selecting the preferred negotiation partner and negotiating the implementation agreement, and pushed it forward.

In response, Mayor Oh Eon-seok met twice with Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, since July to explain the position of Dobong-gu residents and urged early confirmation of underground construction for the Dobong section of the GTX-C line and rapid project promotion. He also visited Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the Presidential Office’s Chief of Civil Society to request close cooperation on the underground construction of the Dobong section. Mayor Oh pledged to continue doing his best to implement administration that residents can feel in their daily lives. He said, “Please look forward to the bright future of Dobong-gu and how it will change and grow, just like the district’s catchphrase, ‘Together! Change, Growth, Future Dobong.’”