The Democratic Party of Korea sat down with Seoul district mayors from the party to discuss ways to supply dwellings. With Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the government locking horns over dwelling supply plans, it appears the party is looking for a way to bypass the mayor.
Democratic Party lawmakers from Seoul constituencies and Seoul district mayors held a policy meeting at the party's Seoul chapter on the morning of the 27th to discuss ways to increase the supply of dwellings in Seoul.
Han Jeong-ae, the Democratic Party secretary-general from Seoul Gangseo-byeong, said in opening remarks, "The Seoul Urban Planning Committee does not meet often, and it takes a very long time because all reviews must be completed in advance to place an item on the agenda," adding, "Given the considerable capacity of the current civil service and district offices, there will be ways to move projects forward more quickly."
At the meeting, ruling party lawmakers and district mayors discussed: ▲ transferring to district offices the authority to designate maintenance projects with fewer than 500 households ▲ proposals for youth dwelling project sites. Since the June 3 local elections, the Democratic Party has pledged to transfer the authority to designate maintenance zones with fewer than 500 households to district offices. The party is also pushing to amend the Act on the Maintenance and Improvement of Urban Areas and Dwelling Conditions for Residents to allow the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to designate maintenance zones.
Kim Young-bae, a lawmaker who heads the party's Seoul chapter, told reporters after the meeting, "Today we mainly discussed practical measures that can supply dwellings at the fastest speed to resolve Seoul's housing shortage," adding, "District mayors asked us to actively review transferring authority, such as designating zones for maintenance projects with fewer than 500 households, to district offices."
He added, "There were proposals by district for sites where the central government could do public development and supply dwellings quickly," and said, "We will visit specific local sites with district mayors to draw up measures and hold meetings on a regular basis."
There was also criticism of Mayor Oh's dwelling-supply policy. Oh has been at odds with the government over developing Yongsan Park and offered development of the Tancheon water reclamation center site in Gangnam-gu as an alternative. Ruling party lawmakers criticized Oh's plan for the Tancheon water reclamation center site as "unrealistic."
Kim said, "Even the Tancheon water reclamation center that Mayor Oh submitted as an alternative cannot supply dwellings unless it is relocated. Where does he plan to move the 1.1 million pyeong Tancheon site?" adding, "Yet presenting it as if supply were possible is engaging in 'bird's-eye-view politics.'"
Oh Ki-hyeong, a Democratic Party lawmaker from Dobong-eul in Seoul, also said, "I think Mayor Oh and Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will select and push project sites through discussions and evaluations centered on alternatives," while adding, "Regarding Yongsan Park, rather than doggedly insisting on a specific method with claims like 'absolutely not,' this is an issue that should be pursued through social persuasion."