Tensions are rising over the development project to supply public dwellings in the Seoripul district of Seocho-gu, Seoul, the first area to have the "green belt" lifted. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Council are backing calls to exclude the clustered villages of Song-dong and Sigyuchon, where resident opposition is strong, and the Umyeon-dong Catholic Church from the project, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has not decided whether to reflect this.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 26th, at the Seoul Metropolitan Council plenary session on the 23rd, a petition to exclude Song-dong and Sigyuchon villages and the 12th Catholic district church from the Seoripul district development project passed with 63 in favor and 1 abstention among 64 council members present. The petition will be formally forwarded to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport via the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the ministry must review whether to accept it. A Seoul City official said, "The department in charge reviewed it and submitted an opinion letter asking that the views of residents in the area be reflected as much as possible." The city consolidated the view to build dwellings in the Seoripul district, which was selected as a candidate site for new residential land, while excluding some areas where residents oppose the project, and delivered it to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).
Seoripul district was selected in Nov. last year as a candidate site for new residential land to increase the supply of dwellings in the Seoul metropolitan area. It is divided into District 1, spanning Wonji-dong and Naegok-dong in Seocho-gu, and District 2, spanning Umyeon-dong. The government plans to supply 18,000 households in District 1 and 2,000 households in District 2. After designating the district in Jan. next year, it aims to begin sales in 2029 and complete development in 2035.
Song-dong and Sigyuchon villages and Umyeon-dong Catholic Church, which argue for preservation instead of development, are in District 2. Residents are strongly opposing, calling it an infringement of property rights. A public hearing on the Seoripul 2 public dwelling district held by the Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) on the 14th was aborted due to resident opposition. A public hearing also fell through last month.
If public hearings are aborted two or more times procedurally, the process can move directly to the next step, the district designation review. After stating it would skip the public hearings, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) disclosed the bidding plan for the environmental impact assessment and began the procurement process. The environmental impact assessment is required to obtain approval of the district plan after district designation. It is being interpreted as a will to push ahead with the Seoripul district development project.
An official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) said, "We have not yet been able to confirm the contents of the petition," and added, "We plan to focus on meeting as many residents as possible to gather opinions and discuss compensation and relocation measures. We also plan to soon begin the basic survey of visiting each resident one by one."