Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon urged easing regulations on redevelopment and reconstruction, saying the government's dwellings supply policy is "hard to explain as anything other than a political aim to bypass the Seoul Metropolitan Government and weaken the mayor's authority." He argued that while the government has shown a lukewarm attitude toward using the Tancheon Water Recycling Center site proposed by the city as an alternative, it is maintaining regulations on redevelopment and reconstruction, which would have a bigger impact on supply.
On the 28th, Oh posted on his Facebook page an article titled "Is the purpose of the real estate policy to sap Oh Se-hoon's strength?" and said, "Look at supply, not politics, and look at citizens, not Oh Se-hoon."
Oh noted that on the 26th he proposed to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport creating a "southeast youth high-tech dwellings complex" on the Tancheon Water Recycling Center site. He presented an alternative site that could be used instead of the plan under review by the government to supply dwellings on part of Yongsan Park.
He said, "The Tancheon Water Recycling Center will also need considerable time before actual groundbreaking, but reviews for transfer are already underway," adding, "If the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government join forces and pick up speed, it can be a far better alternative than Yongsan Park—which faces many hurdles such as return, soil contamination remediation, and transportation measures—in terms of feasibility, speed, and location conditions."
He continued, "The government, which said it would actively review the idea, has suddenly taken a lukewarm stance, and the Democratic Party has gone on the attack, saying it 'lacks effectiveness,'" and asked, "Does it make sense to argue that Yongsan Park is possible but the Tancheon Water Recycling Center—where transfer reviews are already underway—lacks effectiveness and therefore cannot be used?"
Oh stressed that to increase Seoul's dwellings supply, activating redevelopment and reconstruction should take priority over finding new sites.
He said, "If the government does not block the city's maintenance projects and properly supports them, it will be possible to start construction on 310,000 homes by 2031," adding, "The net increase, currently expected at 87,000 homes, would rise to about 130,000 if the government relaxes redevelopment floor area ratios to up to 1.2 times the legal cap."
He added, "We do not need to wander in search of new land or damage green space for future generations," and "The fastest, surest way to supply the most dwellings is already right in front of us."
He again voiced opposition to the plan under review by the government and the ruling party to transfer authority over redevelopment and reconstruction projects of 500 homes or fewer to district offices.
Oh criticized, saying, "District offices already handle a substantial portion of the key permitting authority for maintenance projects," and "Forcibly stripping away authority that is not even the cause of supply delays and packaging it as 'swift supply' is an irresponsible idea that fuels haphazard development and shakes Seoul's urban planning system."
He went on, "It is hard to explain as anything other than a political aim to bypass the Seoul Metropolitan Government and weaken the mayor's authority," and said, "I want to believe the real purpose of the government's real estate policy is not truly 'to sap Oh Se-hoon's strength.'"
Oh also called on the government to reconsider its real estate policy across the board. He urged, "Fix the flawed lending regulations and tax policies and withdraw reviews of ineffective supply sites," and "Boldly ease regulations so that ongoing redevelopment and reconstruction can move faster."
He added, "If the essence of swift supply disappears and only attempts to attack a political rival and neutralize the Seoul Metropolitan Government's authority remain, citizens will never forgive it," and "The city will continue to press the government as we find real solutions for supply and housing stability."