'Abandoned for 10 Years' Dongincheon Private Station to Be Demolished... Complex Development Plan Underway

First Step to Normalize Dongincheon Station... Approximately 4,400 Pyeong of General Commercial Area Land Available for Development
Assemblyman Heo Jongsik: "Jemulpo-gu New Office Building, Youth Housing, etc. Should Be Considered"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyesook Park] The privately funded Dongincheon station on the Gyeongin Line, which has been left as an eyesore for over 10 years after remodeling work was halted, will be demolished.

On the 19th, Heo Jongsik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Incheon Dong-gu Michuhol Gap), announced, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Railway Industry Committee reviewed the disposal plan for the Dongincheon privately funded station on December 27 last year and decided to demolish the privately funded station and proceed with mixed-use development."

Accordingly, the Korea Rail Network Authority plans to prepare a detailed implementation plan for the demolition of the privately funded station and the mixed-use development of the site.

The building was constructed as a retail facility, and it was judged that securing business feasibility would be difficult if remodeling or expansion were attempted, so the likely plan is to demolish it and build a new mixed-use building.

The land owned by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport around Dongincheon Station (18,449㎡) is designated as a general commercial area, so it is expected that about 14,000㎡ excluding railway land can be developed.

The Dongincheon privately funded station on the Gyeongin Line, established in 1989, received permission for expansion and remodeling in 2010 and was undergoing remodeling with an investment of 30 billion KRW, but construction was halted in 2013 due to cost issues and has been left as an eyesore.

Because of this, the area around Dongincheon Station was identified as one of the causes of the decline of the old downtown and was considered a representative failure case of domestic privately funded station projects.

In December 2017, the 30-year occupancy permit expired, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decided to revert the station to the state, but bonds amounting to about 70 billion KRW, including tenant deposits and construction companies' liens, have not been settled.

Dongincheon Station Private Investment Station [Photo by Yonhap News]

As the Dongincheon privately funded station enters a new phase, there are calls for public discussion on plans to connect Jung-gu (South Plaza) and Dong-gu (North Plaza), which are separated by the railway, as well as on ways to utilize the mixed-use building.

The floor area ratio of the existing privately funded station building is only 129% despite being in a general commercial area, but the new building can be developed up to a floor area ratio of 1000%, so facilities that can secure profitability and public interest should be attracted to lead to revitalization of the old downtown.

Representative Heo said, "Taking the government's decision to demolish and redevelop the Dongincheon privately funded station as an opportunity, a road network plan connecting the north and south of Dongincheon Station must be prepared first. In particular, beyond conventional development plans such as retail, lodging, and residential, policies that improve residential welfare by introducing youth housing and strengthen work functions through proximity of residence and workplace are needed."

He added, "The administrative authorities should actively review plans to revitalize the stagnant Dongincheon Station area, including the move-in plan for the Jemulpo District (integration of Jung-gu and Dong-gu excluding Yeongjong) new government office building, which is being discussed as part of administrative system reorganization, along with public institutions and public enterprises under Incheon City, Jung-gu, and Dong-gu."

Heo Jong-sik, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker