Haengdang District 8, an aging residential area near Haengdang Station in Seongdong District, Seoul, has launched its fourth attempt at redevelopment. The Seoul city government is pushing procedures to support architectural planning and a maintenance plan for the area around 300-1 Haengdang-dong, which has been selected as a rapid integrated planning site. However, Seongdong District, the jurisdiction in charge, says it has not drawn up a district-level, concrete development schedule or roadmap, a stance that is expected to act as a variable for the project's pace.
According to the Seoul city government on the 9th, the city plans within this month to proceed with procedures for "support for architectural planning and a maintenance plan for the area around 300-1 Haengdang-dong, a rapid integrated planning site." The site covers 64,358.5 square meters around 300-1 Haengdang-dong. The city's policy is to prepare a basic concept for architectural planning in the area and support the establishment of a maintenance plan.
Rapid integrated planning is a system in which the Seoul city government sets the project direction together with the district office from the initial stage of establishing a maintenance plan and supports subsequent procedures. The aim is to shorten the time required for drawing up and reviewing maintenance plans to speed up redevelopment and reconstruction projects.
Still, despite the city starting related procedures, a district-level timeline for Haengdang District 8 has yet to take shape. An official with Seongdong District's housing maintenance division said, "It is true that procedures are underway to establish a maintenance plan and designate a district under the city's rapid integrated planning," but added, "At the district level, we have not set goals or a schedule for the redevelopment roadmap."
Seongdong District has maintained that district authority should be further expanded in the Seoul-centered operation of maintenance projects. Because local conditions and resident opinions are important for such projects, the intent is that the district's role should be greater in key procedures such as designating maintenance districts. Yu Bohwa, who began a term this month as Seongdong District chief, served as deputy district chief during the tenure of former Seongdong District chief Chong Won-o.
This is the fourth attempt to redevelop Haengdang District 8. First launched in 2006, the project stalled due to worsening external conditions. In 2021, it failed to be selected as a candidate site for the Seoul city's rapid integrated planning because of high resident opposition. It tried again in 2024, but the issue of adjusting the district boundary became an obstacle. Afterward, the district boundary and resident opinions were reorganized, and it was conditionally selected by the Seoul city housing redevelopment candidate site selection committee in December last year, then finalized as a candidate site this year.
The location draws high attention even within Seongdong District. While residential preference has risen around Seongsu-dong, Wangsimni, and the Geumho–Oksu area, some low-rise residential zones near Haengdang Station have lagged in maintenance. If Haengdang District 8 is improved, the large residential area around Wangsimni Station and the station area around Haengdang Station will connect, potentially making the residential belt linking Wangsimni and Haengdang more pronounced.
Still, selection as a rapid integrated planning site alone does not guarantee speed. Haengdang District 8 is still in the early stage of establishing a maintenance plan and designating a maintenance district. Steps ahead include forming a promotion committee, establishing a cooperative association, approval of the project implementation plan, approval of the management and disposition plan, and relocation and demolition. Coordination between the Seoul city government and Seongdong District, resident consent rates, project profitability, and construction costs are cited as major variables in the process.
A construction industry official said, "Rapid integrated planning is designed to shorten the project period by having the city support initial plan establishment, but after a site is selected, the district's administrative drive also matters," adding, "After a cooperative association is formed, variables typical of private maintenance projects—such as member contributions, construction costs, and selection of a builder—remain, so if the schedule is not firmed up, it is hard to gain speed."