Gyeonggi Province is taking action to address the issue of 'unsold land within housing development districts,' which has been left unattended for a long time, damaging the urban landscape and causing inconvenience for nearby residents.
On July 1, Gyeonggi Province announced that it plans to select one pilot project site each in the southern and northern regions of Gyeonggi and develop them into resident-friendly spaces such as a sports complex mall and a joint workplace daycare center.
'Unsold land' refers to plots that were originally designated for schools, public offices, urban support facilities, parking lots, or religious facilities but have remained unsold and neglected for an extended period. There are significant concerns that these areas may lead to illegal dumping of waste, degrade the urban landscape, and become blind spots for public safety, causing considerable inconvenience for residents of nearby apartment complexes that are already fully occupied.
Currently, Gyeonggi Province has identified a total of 85 unsold land sites in 19 districts, covering 589,000 square meters. Of these, the southern region has 65 sites in 12 districts, totaling 397,000 square meters, while the northern region has 20 sites in 7 districts, totaling 192,000 square meters. For example, the public office site in Bongdam District, Hwaseong, has not been sold since its completion in July 2008.
Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province plans to accept applications for pilot project candidates from Hwaseong City and project operators until the end of July 2025, and to select the final sites in August. Afterward, the province will establish detailed commercialization plans by the end of the year and begin full-scale implementation of the project starting in 2026.
To minimize the financial burden on local governments, the pilot projects will consider various approaches, including public-private partnerships, private-led, and public-led initiatives. The plan is to develop these sites into resident-friendly spaces such as sports complex malls and joint workplace daycare centers.
In connection with the pilot projects, Gyeonggi Province will also conduct research studies to establish comprehensive and systematic policies for activating unsold land. The province will develop an action plan that includes commercialization strategies, setting priorities, and establishing and operating consultative bodies involving residents, project operators, and local governments. The research studies will also be launched in earnest starting in 2026.
Meanwhile, on June 25, Gyeonggi Province held a working-level meeting at the provincial government office to discuss the direction and implementation plans for the project. The meeting was attended by representatives from Gyeonggi Province, Hwaseong City, Gimpo City, Osan City, Anseong City, Pyeongtaek City, Icheon City, Paju City, Yangju City, the LH Southern Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, the Paju, Yangju, Pyeongtaek, and Osan Dongtan Project Headquarters, and the Gyeonggi Research Institute.
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