First Meeting of the 'Namsan Height Restriction Easing Resident Council'

Jung-gu Gathers Resident Opinions and Forms Communication Council on 'Namsan Height Restriction Relaxation'

Held First Regular Meeting on the 8th, Reported Service Commencement, Conducted Academy and Q&A

From April, Full-Scale Operation of Neighborhood Public Forums, Providing Opportunities for Residents to Freely Express Opinions

"If regulations that have lost their effectiveness cause harm to residents, it is only right to revise them."

On the evening of the 8th, at the Chungmu Art Center Convention Hall, Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, emphasized this during the first regular meeting of the Namsan Height Restriction Relaxation Resident Council.

The Namsan Height Restriction Relaxation Resident Council is composed of residents from the five neighborhoods (Hoihyeon-dong, Myeong-dong, Pildong, Jangchung-dong, Dasan-dong) covered by the Namsan height district. Most are landowners or residents within the height district.

Jung-gu selected these members last month through recommendations from neighborhood community centers and open recruitment.

About 40 residents selected as council members attended the meeting, joined by Kim Gil-seong, Jung-gu Mayor, and Ji Sang-wook, Chairperson of the People Power Party Jung-gu Seongdong District Committee. Seoul City Council members Park Young-han and Ok Jae-eun, Jung-gu Council Chairperson Gil Ki-young, and council members Yoon Pan-oh, Jo Mi-jung, and Son Ju-ha attended in ex officio capacities.

As this was the first meeting after forming the council, the district led the session as an orientation. The first part included an introduction of the council and welcoming remarks from guests, followed by sharing key points of the study service on reviewing and planning the Namsan height restriction relaxation, which began in January. The second part featured an academy session titled "Understanding the Height District."

To advocate the necessity of relaxing Namsan's height restrictions and broaden consensus, it is important to accurately understand the current status of the height district. Through the academy, council members reviewed everything from Namsan's historical significance to basic concepts and changes of the height district, as well as the shortcomings of the current height restrictions.

The high interest shown during the open recruitment was clearly reflected on-site. For nearly 30 years, the height restriction had been like an iron fortress, and it had never been discussed as progressively as now. With the establishment of a resident council to strengthen communication, residents expressed their hopeful opinions during the Q&A session.

A council member from Jangchung-dong said, "Sharing the district’s progress on height restriction relaxation and learning about the original purpose and evolution of the height district, as well as overseas cases, will be very helpful for our activities. Once the basic planning study results come out, I hope we can thoroughly discuss them with residents to decide the direction."

A council member from Myeong-dong also said, "Since we gathered with good intentions, I hope the resident council will continue to develop constructively, and that the district office will consider the height restriction relaxation plan more broadly."

In response, Ahn Byung-seok, Head of the Urban Redevelopment Strategy Promotion Team at Jung-gu Office, said, "It is necessary to create arguments to persuade the city regarding regulations that have already lost their function. We will carefully analyze the characteristics of each neighborhood and strive to achieve results accordingly. We will actively reflect the opinions of the resident council."

The district plans to fully operate the resident council starting in April. Key issues related to Namsan height restriction relaxation will be continuously shared, and facilitators will be used to ensure smoother and more practical meetings. They are also considering conducting discussions in a roundtable format to allow members to freely and fully express their opinions.

Mayor Kim Gil-seong said, "Unlike the past when height restriction relaxation was vaguely demanded, it is time to scientifically approach the issue by subdividing Namsan and understanding its characteristics and situations. Going forward, the district and the council will pool wisdom to communicate with residents who have endured regulations for decades and find reasonable solutions."