Mayor Shin Sangjin Vows Full Effort to Ease Height Restrictions Hindering Redevelopment

Seongnam City Holds Meeting with Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee
Progress of Research Service Explained and Height Restriction Easing Measures Shared

On July 30 at 1:30 p.m., Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin) held a meeting with the Pan-Citizen Countermeasure Committee at the Yuldong Hall in City Hall under the theme of "Establishing the Foundation for the Third Phase of Height Restriction Easing," gathering opinions from local residents.

Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin is giving a greeting at the 'Comprehensive Citizen Countermeasure Committee Meeting for Complete Resolution of Height Restrictions' held at the Yuldong Hall of City Hall on the 30th. Provided by Seongnam City

The city launched the "Third Phase Study and Consulting Service for Easing Height Restrictions" in September 2023 to protect the property rights of citizens who have long faced restrictions due to height limits near Seoul Airport (Sujeong-gu) and to restore urban functions.

This meeting was organized to share the progress of the research service aimed at developing measures to ease height restrictions, to address citizens' questions, and to collect a range of voices from the field. Mayor Shin Sangjin of Seongnam, along with Song Byeongheum, the lead researcher from the Korean Society for Aeronautical Operations currently conducting the study, attended the event. They explained five proposals for easing height restrictions tailored to Seongnam's circumstances and held a Q&A session.

Mayor Shin Sangjin stated, "I believe it is entirely possible to protect both the Air Force's flight safety and citizens' property rights and safety," adding, "We will do everything we can to resolve the height restriction issue as soon as possible."

The proposed measures for easing height restrictions include: designating the circling approach path to the west side of the runway; establishing a special circling approach procedure and resetting the path; relaxing the minimum stronghold-based height restriction standard; adjusting the approach angle to 2.71 degrees and redefining the flight safety zone; and amending the Enforcement Decree of the Military Base Act to change the reference ground level (from the lowest ground level to the weighted average ground level), totaling five proposals.

Due to building height restrictions under the "Military Bases and Military Facilities Protection Act," Seongnam City has faced ongoing limitations on high-density development, which has hindered regional revitalization and the protection of citizens' property rights. In response, the city initiated this service to develop technical and institutional measures for the third phase of height restriction easing, which is the top priority for Seongnam citizens, and to make continuous proposals to the Ministry of National Defense and related agencies through a public-private-government consultative body. This service is scheduled for completion in January next year.

A Seongnam City official said, "This meeting helped resolve residents' questions about easing height restrictions and increased understanding of the research service," adding, "We will strive to reflect citizens' diverse opinions and suggestions in our policies."