Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said about raising the height for the "Sewoon District 4 redevelopment" that "even if the building height is raised, Jongmyo will not be cast in shadow."
Mayor Oh said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Seosomun Building redevelopment on Feb. 5 in the morning, "There is a misunderstanding in some quarters that the city is blinded by development and is raising building heights to cast a shadow over Jongmyo, a cultural heritage," adding this.
Regarding the Sewoon District 4 redevelopment project, Mayor Oh said, "It was not created with the aim of making Jongmyo stand out," but added, "As we demolish Sewoon Shopping Center in a line, buildings will be constructed and redevelopment will proceed next to it by utilizing private capital, and in that, we will allow the building heights to be raised somewhat."
He added, "While promoting redevelopment with private capital, the city's plan is to raise building heights and use the surplus funds to demolish Sewoon Shopping Center and secure green space."
Mayor Oh said, "(When the project is completed) a green belt about 100 meters wide in front of Jongmyo will extend straight out to Namsan over there," adding, "That is a project that truly makes Jongmyo stand out and tends to and preserves cultural heritage more symbolically, while also recreating the downtown and achieving a green ecological city."
He went on, "It is a fixed idea to maintain authority by imposing height limits on buildings around places where government offices or cultural heritage are located," adding, "This is the time when a new debate on the value system is needed."
Earlier, the Seoul city government announced on Jan. 30 the "Sewoon Redevelopment Promotion District and District 4 Redevelopment Promotion Plan Decision (Change) and Topographic Map," which includes changes to the height plan for Sewoon District 4.
The maximum height of buildings to be built in Sewoon District 4 was changed from the original 55 meters along Jongno and 71.9 meters along Cheonggyecheon to 98.7 meters along Jongno and 141.9 meters along Cheonggyecheon. Sewoon District 4 is adjacent to Jongmyo to the north and Cheonggyecheon to the south.
In response, the Korea Heritage Service on Feb. 3 stated its position of "deep regret" that "the Seoul city government promulgated changes to the redevelopment promotion plan for Sewoon District 4 near Jongmyo without carrying out the procedures recommended by UNESCO."