Dangjeo-dong Selected as Project Site with the Highest Concentration of Vacant Houses in Samcheok City
Samcheok City in Gangwon Province announced on December 19 that it has been finally selected for the "2025 Old Residential Area Renovation Support Project" organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The Old Residential Area Renovation Support Project is designed to assist in the renovation of aging low-rise residential areas where full-scale redevelopment is difficult. The selected "vacant house renovation" category aims to improve the poor living environment in areas with a high concentration of vacant homes and to expand living infrastructure, thereby enhancing residential conditions in vulnerable neighborhoods.
The Seongnae District, which was selected through this competition, was identified as the area with the highest rates of aging population and vacant homes in Dangjeo-dong, based on a preliminary survey of the urban zone. The city plans to further expand its project scope from the recently completed "Seongnae District Urban Regeneration New Deal Project" in the Daehak-ro area to include the renovation of old residential areas, with the goal of developing it into the most successful urban regeneration model in the province.
The project will focus on creating youth activity hubs utilizing vacant houses and renovating outdated living infrastructure, with a total investment of 11.8 billion KRW from 2026 to 2029.
Key initiatives include establishing combined residential and startup spaces for young people and a vacant house platform through the renovation of startup and residential facilities, creating youth rental housing and youth hubs to attract both short- and long-term youth residents, and improving the urban landscape and installing safety facilities to ensure a safe and pleasant urban environment.
In addition, the city plans to sequentially implement a total of 12 detailed projects, including the creation of pocket parks, expansion of parking lots, and installation of clean houses, as part of efforts to expand small-scale living social overhead capital (SOC).
An official from Samcheok City stated, "Through this project, we expect to resolve the local issue of vacant houses and revitalize declining residential areas. We also anticipate positive effects on attracting young people by improving residential conditions in the old downtown and providing spaces for youth startups and housing."
The official added, "We will do our best to establish a cultural, historical, and tourism urban regeneration belt connecting Samcheok Port to Seongnae District, thereby enhancing our competitiveness as a leading cultural and tourism city on the East Coast."
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