Oh Sehoon Criticizes President Lee's "Superficial Questions" on Sewoon District 4, Says Seoul's Urban Development Efforts Undermined

President Lee Criticized for Raising Jongmyo Landscape Issue
"Amending the Enforcement Decree Does Not Make It Subject to Impact Assessment
National Heritage Administration Faces Concerns Over Abuse of Administrative Power"

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon criticized President Lee Jaemyung for mentioning the potential damage to the Jongmyo landscape during the presidential work report, calling it a "superficial question." He also reiterated his commitment to pushing forward with the redevelopment of the Sewoon District 4 area.

On December 17, through his social media account on Facebook, Mayor Oh stated, "Watching the questions and answers regarding the Sewoon District redevelopment, I could not help but lament how such a critical issue as Seoul's future urban development is being treated so lightly."

He pointed out, "The president asked questions in a dismissive manner, while the head of the National Heritage Administration criticized Seoul as if the city was causing problems with the preservation of Jongmyo. Furthermore, he exaggerated and asserted that amending the law to require a World Heritage Impact Assessment could block the development of three districts."

Mayor Oh also reiterated his criticism of the National Heritage Administration's move to revise the enforcement decree of the World Heritage Act, calling it an obstacle to the development of northern Seoul. He said, "The remarks by the head of the National Heritage Administration about regulating with the law in question is a very serious matter that could effectively halt all maintenance and development projects across Seoul. The very idea of allowing a particular government agency's biased perspective to dominate urban planning is an abuse of authority that goes far beyond reasonable discretion."

Regarding President Lee, he added, "Through these superficial questions and answers, the president ultimately undermined Seoul's efforts to transform into a future-oriented city. The government should not push Seoul with one-sided arguments that distort the essence of the issue, but rather seek reasonable alternatives together to solve the problem."

Previously, Heo Min, head of the National Heritage Administration, responded to President Lee's question the day before regarding concerns about the Jongmyo landscape, stating, "For now, the Jongmyo area has been designated as a World Heritage District, and if the World Heritage Act passes in March next year, Seoul will be required to undergo a World Heritage Impact Assessment for the Sewoon District 4 area."

The World Heritage Act mentioned by Heo appears to refer to the enforcement decree amendment currently being pursued by the National Heritage Administration. The proposed amendment would expand the cultural heritage zone from the existing 100 meters to 500 meters and focus on managing environmental degradation, noise, and air quality impacts caused by large-scale construction projects.

On December 17, the Seoul Metropolitan Government released an additional statement clarifying its position on the enforcement decree amendment being pursued by the National Heritage Administration. The city explained, "The World Heritage Act targets projects within World Heritage Districts for impact assessment. Since Sewoon District 4 is outside the designated area, simply amending the enforcement decree would not make it subject to such assessment."

The city further pointed out, "While UNESCO's recommendations should be respected, recommendations from international organizations cannot replace domestic laws and due process. Expanding regulations without clear legal grounds could raise concerns about abuse of administrative authority."

Additionally, the city stated, "If necessary, we have proposed to the National Heritage Administration to immediately conduct a joint landscape simulation review to clarify standards and engage in substantive discussions, including developing alternatives."