Briefing Held on Sewoon Shopping Center Rooftop: "Virtually a Ruin"
"Creating a Green Park to Restructure Urban Space"
Concerns Over High-Rise Buildings in Front of Jongmyo
Minister of Culture Expresses Worry: "Heritage Value May Be Damaged"
Regarding the controversy surrounding the redevelopment project of Sewoon District 4 in front of Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, Oh Sehun, Mayor of Seoul, stated, "The claim that the project could damage the value of Jongmyo is an excessive and undue concern."
On November 7, Mayor Oh held a briefing on the rooftop of Sewoon Shopping Center, saying, "The redevelopment project in the Sewoon area will actually highlight the value of Jongmyo. By creating a green axis stretching from Namsan to Jongno, we will enhance ecological accessibility to Jongmyo, thereby further elevating its historical and cultural heritage value."
He continued, "Despite being at the heart of Seoul, the area around Jongmyo, including the Sewoon District, has long been neglected and left in a state that is virtually a ruin. Now is the time to seek a new transformation where history and the future can coexist."
Mayor Oh emphasized that the creation of a green axis through the redevelopment of Sewoon District 4 would lead to a restructuring of the urban spatial layout. He explained, "Funding for the green axis will be secured through an integrated development approach in the Sewoon area, and we will seize the opportunity to restructure the city center by establishing a large-scale green park centered on Jongmyo. Nevertheless, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Administrator of the National Heritage Administration insisted, without presenting any concrete evidence and even using provocative language, that the Seoul city project would inevitably damage Jongmyo."
He added, "If we continue discussions through dialogue, it is entirely possible to reconcile the seemingly conflicting values of urban spatial innovation and respect for cultural heritage. Even as early as next week, if discussions can be initiated, I would be happy to meet, explain the city’s plans, and hold talks on how we can pursue these values together."
On the same day, Choi Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Heo Min, Administrator of the National Heritage Administration, visited Jongmyo and expressed concern about the possibility of high-rise buildings being constructed in front of the shrine. Minister Choi stated, "The current situation, in which the heritage value may be compromised, is deeply concerning. We will consider revising related laws and, if necessary, even enacting new legislation."
Previously, on October 30, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the "Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District and District 4 Redevelopment Promotion Plan Decision," which centers on changes to the height regulations for Sewoon District 4. As a result, the maximum building heights in District 4 were changed from 55 meters along Jongno and 71.9 meters along Cheonggyecheon to 101 meters along Jongno and 145 meters along Cheonggyecheon.
Additionally, the First Division of the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Seoul Metropolitan Council the previous day in a lawsuit filed by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism seeking to nullify the partial amendment to the Seoul City Cultural Heritage Protection Ordinance. The amended ordinance was promulgated in October 2023, but the Minister had filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court, claiming that the amendment-made without consultation with the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration (now the National Heritage Administration)-violated the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. However, with the ordinance upheld, regulations on areas outside the historical and cultural environment preservation zone (within 100 meters of nationally designated heritage sites) have now been lifted.
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