Police Arrest Work Team Leader for Installing Illegal Watchtower in Guryong Village

The police have applied for an arrest warrant for the team leader who illegally installed a watchtower at the entrance of Guryong Village, a densely packed shantytown area in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu.

On the 26th, the Suseo Police Station in Seoul announced that they had applied for an arrest warrant for Mr. A, who was suspected of violating the Urban Development Act the previous day, citing concerns about flight risk and other reasons.

Mr. A is accused of erecting a 10-meter-high steel structure (watchtower) at the entrance of Guryong Village without the district office's permission on the 23rd, along with five foreign workers.

The police arrested Mr. A on suspicion of violating the Urban Development Act at around 3:20 a.m. the following day. The five foreign workers arrested with Mr. A were released on the 25th and are being investigated without detention.

At the time, about 200 residents of Guryong Village reportedly held a rally demanding the Seoul Metropolitan Government issue certificates verifying their residence.

Guryong Village is known as the last shantytown in Seoul. In May, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced plans to develop Guryong Village into a complex housing project with up to 25 floors and 3,520 households, leading to conflicts with residents demanding compensation.