"Why a Park on Precious Land"... Complaints Pour In at Mokdong 10 Complex Despite 4,000-Unit Reconstruction

Maintenance Plan Public Briefing Held
Opposition to Mid-Low Rise Plans in Some Buildings
"Seoul City Advisory Results" Also Challenged

"The maintenance plan seems worse than before, so I am disappointed."

At the 'Mokdong 10 Complex Reconstruction Maintenance Plan' briefing held on the 22nd at Haenuri Town in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, residents expressed such dissatisfaction. Mr. Chu Seung-jun (68), who lives in this apartment, said, "It is too late to change the plan," and added, "I plan to express opposition first."

On the 22nd, a residents' briefing session for the 'Mokdong 10 Complex Reconstruction Maintenance Plan' was held at Haenuri Town in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kwon Hyunji

The Mokdong 10 Complex apartments (area 194,686㎡) in Sinjeong-dong 310 and 311, Yangcheon-gu, were completed in 1987 and are now in their 37th year. After passing the reconstruction safety inspection in January last year, a maintenance plan was prepared through the rapid integrated planning advisory project. It is the seventh among the 14 complexes in Mokdong, following complexes 6, 4, 14, 8, 13, and 12. The plan is to reconstruct the existing 15-story, 2,160 households into a large complex with up to 40 stories and 4,045 households (including 510 public housing units). The briefing was held to gather residents' opinions on this.

"Concerns over profitability decline due to park"

The biggest issue was the park placement. According to the maintenance plan, a rectangular neighborhood park will be located on the northeastern edge of the complex, which residents complain may reduce profitability. A resident in his 50s said, "Is it reasonable to make a park on this 'golden land' where even building apartments is insufficient?" and added, "The park's usage value is also excessively low." Another resident emphasized, "The park occupies the edge, making the complex feel lopsided," and "Placing apartments here to widen the distance between buildings would also improve the residential environment."

Hwang Seong-sik, Executive Director of KTS Engineering, the urban planning company that prepared the maintenance plan, responded, "The park location is already fixed in the higher-level district unit plan," and "Since the district unit plan was recently revised, it is difficult to make significant changes." However, he added, "There is room for changes in the plan during future stages such as building review."

"Disadvantageous compared to other complexes... Floor area ratio incentives should be provided"

There was also strong opposition to the number of floors. Mokdong 10 Complex is subject to height restrictions due to nearby Gimpo Airport, allowing a maximum of 40 floors. Some front buildings are planned as 15-story mid-low-rise. One resident said, "Lowering some buildings to 15 floors increases the number of buildings and the building coverage ratio, making it feel cramped," and requested, "If the height restriction cannot be lifted, please allow flexible arrangement so that 15-story buildings can be raised to 25-30 floors." Another resident argued, "Given the severe noise from flights and roads and height restrictions in Complex 10, applying the same 300% floor area ratio as other complexes is unreasonable," and insisted, "Additional floor area ratio incentives should be provided."

There were also considerable counterarguments. Resident Lee said, "As expectations for reconstruction grow, residents tend to make unreasonable demands," and criticized, "The maintenance plan is based on the district unit plan, so this shakes the foundation." Another resident pointed out, "Wasn't the Seoul City advisory sought to shorten the maintenance project period? Opposing this maintenance plan will only delay the project."

In addition, demands were made regarding the introduction of specialized designs such as sky bridges, measures against road and flight noise, and expansion of exercise facilities.

Yangcheon-gu plans to conduct a public inspection of the maintenance plan until the 23rd of next month, collect residents' opinions, hold a second rapid integrated planning advisory meeting, and then apply to Seoul City for designation of the maintenance district. It is expected to be designated as a maintenance district as early as the first half of next year.