Yoon: "Special Act for 1st Generation New Towns Absolutely Necessary... Opposition Also Agrees, Please Pass Within This Year" (Update)

Yoon Chairs Cabinet Meeting at Presidential Office
"Special Act Essential for Housing Improvement and Migration Demand Management"

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 14th requested active discussions in the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the Special Act for the Renovation of Aging Planned Cities (1st Generation New Town Special Act) within this year.

At the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning, President Yoon said, "The 'Special Act for the Renovation of Aging Planned Cities' was proposed last March, but it has yet to pass the standing committee stage."

President Yoon mentioned the public inconveniences arising in the 1st generation new towns, stating, "The new towns that were created in the past to disperse the population have aged, causing ongoing issues such as residents' safety, noise between floors, and parking disputes."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon pointed out, "We have communicated with local governments to establish a two-track strategy that simultaneously sets the government's basic policy and the basic plan for each new town, significantly shortening the period and aiming to establish a master plan by next year. To swiftly and orderly renovate large-scale complexes and transform aging cities that still remain as they were 30 years ago into future cities, the existing legal framework has its limitations."

He also emphasized, "It is essential to enact the special act not only to rebuild houses but also to support improvements in the residential environment and manage relocation demands."

Furthermore, President Yoon said, "Many citizens across the country, including those in metropolitan areas and regional hub new towns, are waiting for the enactment of the law. There is a strong concern that if not this time, the process will have to start over from scratch in the next National Assembly." He urged, "Although it is late, since the opposition party agreed to the enactment of the special act yesterday, I earnestly ask the National Assembly to actively discuss and ensure that this bill, which is directly related to the lives of the people, is passed within this year."