"People Leaving Bukchon Means Loss of Tourism Appeal"
Special Management Area Designated to Establish Sustainable Tourism Base
"Jongno-gu Faces Layered Regulations... Removing Them Is Key to Seoul's Development"
Seoul Mayor Must Trust Districts and Delegate Necessary Authority
"When jacuzzis are installed in the courtyards of hanok houses, residents end up being forced to watch erotic movies every night. Hanok stays (hanok experience businesses) were originally meant for homeowners, but corporations have entered and commercialized the industry. Since it operates under a notification system, it is difficult for the district office to regulate it."
Tourists visiting Bukchon Hanok Village in Jongno-gu, Seoul are having a pleasant time. Not directly related to the article content. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
On the 9th, at the temporary office of the Seoul Susong-dong District Office, Jeong Munheon, the mayor of Jongno-gu, Seoul, brought up the topic of bathtubs (jacuzzis) and erotic movies. This was related to Bukchon Hanok Village. Mayor Jeong emphasized, "If the conditions for permanent residence are broken, the value of tourism resources will also decline," and added, "Higher-level laws need to be revised so that people can live there, and the neighborhood can be preserved without dying out."
As foreign tourists flocked to Bukchon Hanok Village in Jongno, which is rich in historical and cultural resources, the number of hanok stays has increased over the past few years. According to Mayor Jeong, since the registration process for hanok experience businesses is simple, corporations have aggressively expanded their businesses, severely damaging the residential environment.
He pointed out that scenes like erotic movies unfold every night in the front yards of hanok houses where bathtubs have been installed, questioning how people can live and raise children there. Mayor Jeong stated, "It is necessary to amend the law to limit the eligibility for application to individuals rather than corporations, and impose restrictions similar to those on lodging businesses."
Jung Moonheon, Mayor of Jongno District, emphasized in an interview with this paper on the 9th, "We need to effectively lift the overlapping regulations in Jongno," adding, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government should also trust the residents and autonomous districts and delegate the authority to them." Provided by Jongno District.
According to Jongno-gu, as of last year, the resident population in the Bukchon area around Gahoe-dong and Samcheong-dong decreased by 27.6% compared to five years ago in 2018. This is also why Jongno-gu recently designated Bukchon as a ‘special management area’ under the Tourism Promotion Act, restricting tourist passage times and tourist bus parking.
Mayor Jeong said, "We will restrict traffic on Bukchon-ro, where illegal parking of charter buses is frequent, but create pick-up and drop-off zones nearby to encourage a shift to pedestrian-centered tourism patterns," adding, "Making Jongno enjoyable on foot will resolve chronic congestion, revitalize commercial districts, and establish a sustainable tourism foundation."
He also mentioned that the decline in the permanent resident population in Bukchon is not solely due to noise, garbage, and illegal parking caused by tourists. Even when residents try to renovate hanok houses to make them more livable, there are so many regulations that they cannot freely make changes, making it uncomfortable to live there.
Mayor Jeong also spoke about the overlapping regulations layered throughout Jongno-gu. He pointed out, "Jongno is subject to multiple overlapping regulations such as height restrictions, military protection zones, cultural heritage protection areas, natural scenic districts, and district unit plans," and criticized that "regulations made 50 years ago are being uniformly maintained."
Having served as the chairman of the Seoul Mayors Association for the past year, he said, "In reality, the district office cannot even choose and plant a single species of street tree without city hall’s permission," and emphasized the need to "trust residents and autonomous districts and shift policies toward expanding authority and autonomy."
Mayor Jeong said that Jongno-gu has a series of major events this year, including the launch of the Jongno Welfare Foundation and the groundbreaking of a complex government building. The Jongno Welfare Foundation, set to launch in September, will strengthen the capacity of welfare facilities in Jongno-gu and provide customized welfare services that quickly respond to various local issues such as the increase in single-person households and welfare blind spots.
Additionally, the Jongno District Office building, which has not yet started construction since its demolition in 2021 due to cultural heritage excavation investigations, will begin construction this year. This multifunctional complex will include district office work facilities, Jongno Fire Station, Fire Disaster Headquarters, Health Center, District Council, as well as resident education and cultural facilities such as a music hall and literature center.
Mayor Jeong first wore a National Assembly member badge at the age of 38. He is the only two-term former National Assembly member among the 25 district mayors in Seoul and was elected as Jongno-gu mayor in 2022, now entering his third year.
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