[Q&A] "Consent Rate of Residents in 1st Phase New Town Pilot District is Key... Local Areas Next Year"

Highest Resident Consent Score... Importance of Commercial Building Consent
"Detailed Plans for Additional Infrastructure to be Finalized by Year-End"

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 22nd that it will designate 26,000 housing units + α within the first-generation new towns such as Bundang and Ilsan as pilot reconstruction zones this year. By new town, the scale is 8,000 units in Bundang, 6,000 units in Ilsan, totaling 26,000 units. Additionally, local governments can select 1 to 2 more sites each.

Apartment complex in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province. / Photo by Yonhap News

Each local government of the first-generation new towns will announce a public contest on the 25th of next month, including the special maintenance zone plan, pilot zone selection criteria, and consent form templates. Once the pilot zones are selected by November, a special maintenance plan will be promoted, followed by the establishment of an implementation plan in 2026, and construction is planned to begin in 2027. The target for move-in is 2030.

The pilot zone selection criteria are based on the "standard evaluation criteria" presented by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, with local governments able to adjust detailed scoring. The Ministry explained that evaluation criteria were prepared from quantitative aspects such as resident consent rate and urgency of residential environment improvement to avoid disputes over fairness. Among these, the item with the highest score is the resident consent rate (60 points).

Below is a Q&A with Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officials including Jung Woo-jin, Director of Urban Policy, and Jung Woo-jin, Officer of the Urban Maintenance Planning Preparation Team.

- I heard that some complexes have independently collected consent forms. How large is that scale?

▲ We have not separately identified that. Currently, consent forms collected arbitrarily are invalid. On the 25th of next month, a consent form template that applies to the standard evaluation criteria will be released. Consent forms must be collected accordingly.

- The goal is to start construction in 2027, but the pilot zone announcement is in November. Various administrative procedures must be completed by the second half of 2026, and relocation and demolition must occur before buildings can be constructed. Isn't that difficult?

▲ The statement that construction will start in 2027 includes resident relocation and building demolition. The construction period is set at three years: one year for relocation and demolition in early 2027, and two years for building construction, totaling three years.

- Relocation is difficult in winter. If relocation is delayed, the construction period will inevitably be extended, right?

▲ We plan to distribute a standard charter that includes provisions to claim damages if relocation is intentionally delayed. Long relocation times occur when residents in complexes or buildings resist. In fact, some cooperative charters include grounds to claim damages from residents who intentionally delay relocation, enabling relocation completion within 1 to 2 quarters. We plan to create such a standard charter as a guideline. Detailed relocation measures will be reviewed by each local government and specified in the basic plan. Also, residents sometimes have conflicts due to differing opinions during the process of establishing cooperatives and drafting charters. Having a standard charter as a guideline can reduce such conflicts.

- Is there a method to determine if a specific resident intentionally delays relocation?

▲ Judgments are based on relocation demand. We plan to investigate relocation demand, such as cases where residents must relocate nearby even if they move. If relocation is difficult due to cost issues, relocation funds will be included in the relocation measures. For retired elderly residents, we are considering providing relocation funds through a housing pension method. This relocation demand survey will help determine whether relocation was intentionally delayed.

- Looking at the evaluation criteria, there is no deduction item for opposition consent rate in the first-generation new towns, but such deduction items are included in nationwide aging planned cities.

▲ During consultations with five local governments, they did not want to introduce an opposition consent rate. Even if introduced, many do not actually submit it, so there was criticism about the necessity. If local governments want to introduce opposition consent rates, they can prepare detailed contest criteria and add them.

- There is a 5-point item for project feasibility in the evaluation criteria. What is the basis for this?

▲ If LH participates in implementation or if consent forms from commercial establishments are obtained, the feasibility is considered high. Obtaining consent forms from commercial establishments as well as apartment complexes is not easy. A high consent rate from commercial establishments indicates strong demand for integrated reconstruction.

- There can be issues with splitting commercial properties during integrated reconstruction.

▲ We plan to amend the Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Act (Dojongbeop) to prohibit splitting of shares. This is one of the urgent tasks.

- Some local cities may want integrated reconstruction. Can pilot zones be designated and promoted in local cities as well?

▲ We understand that awareness of integrated reconstruction is still low in local cities. Therefore, starting on the 23rd, we will hold regional resident briefings beginning with Busan. For cities outside the first-generation new towns, pilot zones will be selected in earnest next year.

- Is there a separate plan for additional infrastructure construction during the maintenance of first-generation new towns?

▲ Infrastructure such as water supply and sewage, roads, etc., can receive public contributions. Specific details will be included in the basic plan. Normally, the basic plan should be established before designating pilot zones, but to accelerate reconstruction, this was not done. By the end of the year, infrastructure construction plans and others can be specified.