Seoul Selects Seven Deteriorated Residential Areas Including Yongsan-gu as Rapid Integrated Planning Candidates [Real Estate AtoZ]

Aiming to Complete Maintenance Zone Designation Within Two Years
Reviewing Project Feasibility... Blocking Speculation Through Land Transaction Permit Zones

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected seven deteriorated residential areas as candidates for the Rapid Integrated Planning initiative.

On November 4, the city announced that it had chosen these seven locations as candidates for the Rapid Integrated Planning project during the 5th Housing Redevelopment Candidate Site Selection Committee meeting. Including these newly selected areas, there are now a total of 136 zones designated for redevelopment under the Rapid Integrated Planning program.

The selected candidate sites are located in two areas in Yongsan-gu, one in Mapo-gu, one in Geumcheon-gu, one in Jongno-gu, one in Eunpyeong-gu, and one in Guro-gu. These regions are characterized by a high level of deterioration and a large number of semi-basement homes. There was a strong need to improve the residential environment. The committee also considered factors such as residents’ willingness to participate and the connection to nearby development projects.

Additionally, the committee conditionally approved an advisory request for the Seongbuk-dong 3-38 area, which had been conditionally selected in November 2023. For this area, the local district office first established a rough plan, gathered residents’ opinions, and then requested advice from the committee. The city plans to officially begin the Rapid Integrated Planning process and develop a detailed maintenance plan for this area.

Candidate sites selected for the Rapid Integrated Planning initiative will immediately receive subsidies to establish maintenance plans. The city will also begin service contracts for the planning and maintenance projects in the second half of this year. Seoul has already shortened the average time required to designate maintenance zones from more than five years to between two and two and a half years, and now plans to further reduce this by six months, aiming to complete zone designation within two years.

Furthermore, during the process of establishing maintenance plans, the city will apply the new business feasibility adjustment coefficient, current floor area ratio, and three-dimensional parks introduced in the 2030 Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Master Plan, tailored to the conditions of each area, to ensure project feasibility.

In addition, through the 11th Urban Planning Committee’s delegated subcommittee, the city newly designated the seven candidate zones as land transaction permit zones. This measure is intended to completely block speculative transactions and enhance transparency in the redevelopment projects. The designation period will run from November 11, 2025, to January 28, 2027.

Separately, for one of the previously selected Rapid Integrated Planning redevelopment sites in Mapo-gu, the city adjusted the boundaries of the land transaction permit zone to match the project area boundaries.

Once designated as a land transaction permit zone, any transfer or establishment of ownership or superficies rights for residential land exceeding 6 square meters or commercial land exceeding 15 square meters requires approval from the head of the local district office.

Choi Jinseok, Director of Housing at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "The selected candidate sites are severely deteriorated residential areas with extremely poor infrastructure, and urgent improvement of the residential environment is needed. Through the Rapid Integrated Planning initiative, we will provide administrative support to ensure swift housing supply and create better living spaces."