Sewoon District 4 Residents Sue State and National Heritage Administration Officials for Damages: "Unable to Even Break Ground Due to High-Handedness"

Damages Claim Totals 16 Billion Won
"Accumulated Debt Reaches 725 Billion Won"

The Residents' Representatives Meeting of Sewoon District 4 held a press conference at Dasi Sewoon Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 11th of last month. Photo by Lee Jung-yoon

Regarding the redevelopment project of Sewoon District 4 in front of Jongmyo in Seoul, the Residents' Representatives Meeting has filed a damages lawsuit against the state and officials from the National Heritage Administration.

According to the Sewoon District 4 Residents' Representatives Meeting on the 29th, they submitted a lawsuit to the Seoul Central District Court on the 26th, claiming a total of 16 billion won in damages from the state and officials of the National Heritage Administration.

The Residents' Representatives Meeting is seeking 2 billion won each, totaling 10 billion won, from the state, the National Heritage Administration Commissioner Heo Min, former and current heads of the Royal Tombs and Palaces Heritage Headquarters, and the current Director of the Heritage Policy Bureau. Additionally, they filed a damages lawsuit of 1 billion won each, totaling 6 billion won, against six other officials of the National Heritage Administration.

Regarding the reason for the damages claim, the Residents' Representatives Meeting stated, "Sewoon District 4 is on average more than 600 meters away from the Jongmyo Main Hall and about 170 meters away from the Jongmyo National Cultural Heritage Protection Zone, making it clear that the project site is outside both the cultural heritage protection zone (World Heritage Protection Zone) and the buffer zone."

They further explained, "In January 2017, the Cultural Heritage Administration (the predecessor of the National Heritage Administration) deleted the requirement for separate review by the Cultural Heritage Administration for the Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District through an amendment notice. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Sewoon District was excluded from the separate review requirement by the National Heritage Administration."

The Residents' Representatives Meeting also said, "In February 2023, the Cultural Heritage Administration responded to residents' inquiries by officially interpreting that a separate review by the Cultural Heritage Administration is not a mandatory requirement. However, the National Heritage Administration later informed us that 'Sewoon District 4 requires review by the Cultural Heritage Committee,' contrary to previous notices. As a result, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jongno District Office wasted a significant amount of time."

They claim that cumulative debt has reached 725 billion won. The Residents' Representatives Meeting stated, "Due to repeated high-handed actions by the National Heritage Administration, Sewoon District 4 has been pursuing development since 2006, but has not even been able to break ground, resulting in cumulative debt reaching 725 billion won."

They added, "Landowners relocated all tenants in 2009, so they have had to cover living expenses with loans without any rental income, and the monthly financial cost burden exceeds 2 billion won. Since March 2023, when the plan to amend the redevelopment promotion plan was pursued, financial costs alone have accumulated to more than 60 billion won."

The development of Sewoon District 4 has long stalled due to business feasibility issues, so the city decided to ease the height restrictions to 98.7 meters along Jongno and 141.9 meters along Cheonggyecheon. The National Heritage Administration opposes this, arguing that high-rise buildings could damage the view from Jongmyo. Last month, ICOMOS Korea, an advisory body to UNESCO responsible for World Heritage listing reviews, conservation management, and evaluation, recommended that the city conduct a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) regarding the Sewoon District 4 development.

However, the city maintains that Sewoon District 4 is located outside the World Heritage zone and is therefore not subject to a Heritage Impact Assessment under the law, and that changing the building height plan will not affect Jongmyo.