Residents of Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu: "Stop Ignoring Our Tears!"

[Seoul District News] Residents of Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, to Announce 'Statement' on 20th Requesting Abolition of Cultural Heritage Regulations ▲
On the 12th, Petition for Livelihood Protection Submitted to Cultural Heritage Administration with 3,117 Residents Participating ▲Public Hearing on Pungnap Fortress Comprehensive Plan Hosted by Cultural Heritage Administration on 23rd ... Gwanak-gu Discusses Public-Private Cooperative Pledge Implementation Plan to Achieve Vision of 'Together Leading Gwanak-gu' in 8th Elected Term

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) has joined forces with residents to resolve the decades-long stagnant issue of buried cultural heritage in Pungnap-dong.

Pungnap-dong is an area where residents have faced significant restrictions on exercising property rights due to the nationally designated cultural heritage site, ‘Seoul Pungnap-dong Earthen Fortification.’ Since the entire interior of the fortification was designated as a historic site, restoration and maintenance projects have remained in the initial stages without major progress over the past 20 years, and the preservation management plan, which the Cultural Heritage Administration must establish every five years, has not been newly formulated since 2015.

Accordingly, on July 1, the first day of his term, Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, met with Pungnap-dong residents to hear their on-site opinions and selected the resolution of the buried cultural heritage issue in Pungnap-dong as a key project of the 8th local government administration.

Mayor Seo stated, “Forcing unconditional sacrifice on residents for the sake of cultural heritage protection can only be seen as ‘cultural heritage dictatorship.’ Songpa-gu is supporting residents with more proactive actions such as requesting meetings with the Cultural Heritage Administration head and continuously raising inconvenience issues to resolve the long-standing grievances of residents who have suffered from administrative neglect.”

In response, residents have shown strong determination to resolve the issue by submitting petitions and issuing statements against the Cultural Heritage Administration.

The petition was jointly submitted by 3,117 Pungnap-dong residents on December 12. They requested the removal of various regulations that hinder property rights and the establishment of measures that allow residents and cultural heritage to coexist.

On the afternoon of the 20th, at the Pungnap Earthen Fortification Residents’ Countermeasure Committee, Chairman Kim Hong-je led the residents in issuing a statement detailing their demands. Chairman Kim said, “Residents living around Pungnap Earthen Fortification can only watch helplessly as their residential environment deteriorates and the area declines due to cultural heritage regulations, simply because they reside there,” and raised his voice, “Do not further infringe on fundamental rights such as constitutional property rights and the pursuit of happiness.”

Residents strongly demanded ▲the creation of spaces to practically enjoy Pungnap Earthen Fortification ▲the establishment of substantial relocation measures for Zone 2, where historic designation and acquisition are being pursued ▲the complete lifting of building regulations in Zone 3, where historic designation and acquisition have been halted ▲and the abolition of cultural heritage regulations to allow reconstruction and redevelopment in Zones 4 and 5.

Resident Heo Myo-gang (86), who participated in the statement, said, “I have lived here for 65 years since I came here after marriage when there were only about 5 to 6 houses in Pungnap-dong. It is truly unfair. I just want to continue living in the place I am attached to without leaving. I earnestly hope for measures such as realistic compensation and relocation plans.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the public hearing on December 23, hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration regarding the ‘Comprehensive Plan for the Preservation and Management of Pungnap Earthen Fortification,’ concerns among residents are deepening as management zone settings, building height restrictions (21m), and underground regulations (below 2m) are expected to continue.

The district office plans to actively communicate with Pungnap-dong residents, raise awareness of local realities, and work toward amending related laws such as the ‘Cultural Heritage Protection Act’ and the ‘Act on Investigation and Protection of Buried Cultural Heritage’ to reflect these realities.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “Residents of Pungnap-dong have shed tears through long years of sacrifice and suffering for cultural heritage protection. Songpa-gu will actively serve as a communication channel so that the Cultural Heritage Administration listens to residents’ voices and establishes solutions that consider both cultural heritage and residents’ lives.”

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) held a full meeting of the district’s highest advisory body, the ‘Together Best Gwanak Innovation and Cooperation Committee,’ on the 20th to discuss the ‘Pledge Implementation Plan,’ a concrete execution plan for the 8th local government administration.

The ‘Together Best Gwanak Innovation and Cooperation Committee’ is an advisory committee composed of 37 representatives from various sectors, including the mayor, external experts, and local residents. It integrates private sector expertise and creativity into administration by deliberating on policy directions and governance to realize cooperative governance.

This meeting shared the establishment process and implementation management system of 60 practical tasks under six major district goals reflecting the vision and strategies of the 8th local government administration of Gwanak-gu, based on the district’s policy pillars of ‘Innovation,’ ‘Inclusion,’ and ‘Cooperation’: ▲Together Economy ▲Together Welfare ▲Youth Special City ▲Best Education and Culture ▲Clean and Safe Living Environment ▲Innovative Gwanak Office.

From June to July, the district operated a policy planning group composed of experts and residents to carefully review pledges and residents’ proposals. In September, it held the ‘2022 Creative Toktok Idea Contest’ to incorporate residents’ ideas into district administration. From November to December, the mayor directly visited 21 community centers across the district to operate ‘Mobile Gwanak Office,’ engaging in communication administration with residents. Through these diverse opinion-gathering processes from all walks of life, the district established the ‘Four-Year District Administration Plan’ reflecting the direction of the 8th local government administration.

Based on the pledge implementation plan, the district will designate responsible managers for each project, post quarterly progress updates on the district website to share with residents, and actively participate in external evaluations of pledge fulfillment by organizations such as the Korea Manifesto Practice Headquarters to ensure thorough management of pledge projects.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, who attended the meeting, said, “We will actively listen to residents’ voices throughout the entire process of district administration, transparently disclose progress, and thoroughly fulfill the pledge projects promised to residents.”