Seoul raised its target for housing starts pushed through the rapid integrated planning system within three years to 85,000 units, up 6,000 from the previous goal. The city plans to cut about a year from the time it takes from designating a redevelopment zone to demolition to move up the supply schedule.
Starting on the 20th, Seoul said it will hold the "2026 New Year work briefing" for 29 bureaus, beginning with four departments: the Housing Bureau, the Urban Space Headquarters, the Future Space Planning Office, and the Balanced Development Headquarters. Mayor Oh Se-hoon will review policy issues and plans and prepare supplementary measures.
The city will fully launch "Rapid Integrated Planning 2.0" and focus support on management and disposal, relocation, and demolition at 24 sites that can break ground early by 2029, including those with land areas of 30,000 square meters or less. It will speed up some zones by about a year by strengthening process acceleration meetings and administrative support.
It plans to build a balanced development model linking "Seoul Arena," "Seoul Digital Bio City" (S-DBC), and "Gwangwoon University station area development," which are being pursued in Nowon and Dobong districts. The vision is to reorganize these bedroom communities into a complex city of "work-residence-entertainment." It will also accelerate hub developments such as the "New Growth Edge City" project to foster undeveloped areas, including the Sinnae rail yard in Jungnang District, into a metropolitan core in the greater capital region; the special planning zones at Yongsan Electronics Market (11 sites); and the Hongje Station station-area activation project.
Funding will first come from public contribution funds secured through preliminary negotiations for private developments, including Yongsan Seoul Core and the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal complex development.
The city will also use new development models such as "regional co-prosperity REITs," which share revenue with residents. The main idea is to convert large office and commercial spaces with rising vacancy rates into residential and cultural uses.
For Mirinae House, a long-term jeonse housing program for newlyweds, the city will introduce an installment payment plan for the lease deposit. Tenants will pay 70% of the deposit at move-in and cover only the interest (2.5% annually) on the remaining 30%.