The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invest 16 trillion won to promote balanced regional development. The investment will focus on expanding transportation networks in the northern districts and creating industry and job hubs. The plan aims to balance the north and south of the city while strengthening Seoul's competitiveness as a global city.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon held a press briefing titled "Again, the Gangbuk golden era 2.0" at City Hall on the 18th.
The Gangbuk golden era is a policy to create more jobs in the northern districts and improve the residential environment to support the city's sustainable growth and balanced development. The policy Oh released that day follows "Gangbuk golden era 1.0," unveiled in 2024 to spur development by easing regulations and offering incentives for old residential and commercial areas in the northern districts.
The core of the new policy is to achieve balanced development between the south and the north by building new economic hubs outside the southern districts and establishing urban infrastructure. To that end, a total of 16 trillion won will be invested in the northern districts. The investment consists of 6 trillion won in national subsidies and private investment and 10 trillion won in city funds. It will be used to improve transportation networks and establish industrial hubs in the northern districts.
First, the city will create a new "Gangbuk golden era fund (tentative name)" financed by cash contributions secured through preliminary negotiations on private developments such as the Seoul Express Bus Terminal and by proceeds from the sale of public land. The 480 billion won fund will prioritize investment in transportation infrastructure to strengthen access to the northern districts and improve residents' quality of life.
In addition, the city will carry out a 520 billion won mid- to long-term fiscal investment in rail and road projects in the northern districts, where basic infrastructure is relatively lacking.
The city will also revamp the preliminary negotiation system to secure funding to support the policy's implementation. It plans to reduce the requirement for public contributions in areas with sufficient infrastructure, while increasing the share of cash contributions usable on a metropolitan scale from the current 30% to 70%. Introduced by Seoul in 2009 as the first of its kind nationwide, the preliminary negotiation system allows the private sector to propose development plans for large idle sites or aging facilities, with the city pre-negotiating development scale and public contribution levels. Rather than deciding permits on a case-by-case basis, the system sets fair criteria and negotiates publicly.
To expand preliminary negotiation target areas, which have been concentrated in the southeastern zone, to the northern zone, the city will boost project feasibility in inactive negotiation zones by easing public contribution rates and residential ratios, and will also expand regional hub facilities for balanced development.
Eight projects to improve transportation infrastructure will also move forward. First, the city will build the "Gangbuk cross underground urban expressway," a six-lane, 20.5-kilometer tunnel between the Naebu Expressway and the Bukbu Arterial Road.
This will improve travel speeds, and the ground-level space freed by removing elevated roads will be used for citizens. Once undergrounded, the average travel speed will increase from 34.5 kph to about 67 kph. The removal of elevated interchanges will also improve ground traffic flow, and the restoration of Hongjecheon and Mukdongcheon streams and the recovery of residential area–commercial district connections will improve the overall living environment and urban landscape in the northern districts.
The 15.4-kilometer section of the Dongbu Arterial Road (Wolgyesa IC–Daechi IC) will also be put underground as a four-lane, two-way road. Construction is underway on the 12.5-kilometer section from Wollung Bridge to Yeongdong-daero (Daechi). The city said that once the underground road is completed, travel time between the southeast and northeast zones will be shortened by about 20 minutes.
The Gangbuk Crosstown Line will be rebooted by updating the economic feasibility analysis and improving project viability. By linking the Ui–Sinseol extension and the Dongbuk Line, now under construction, with the Myeonmok Line and the Seobu Line, which are underway, the city plans to fill gaps in the northern districts' transportation network and improve access to urban rail.
The Ui–Sinseol extension will invest a total project cost of 469 billion won to add three stations over 3.93 kilometers from Solbat Park Station to Banghak Station. It aims to open in 2032. The Dongbuk Line, with a total project cost of 1.7228 trillion won, will connect Wangsimni Station to Sanggye Station and is slated to open in 2027.
At the same time, the city will push ahead with environmental upgrades at 20 aging subway stations in the northern districts.
Projects to spur growth in the northern districts will also proceed. The city will newly introduce "growth-hub mixed-use development projects" that combine commercial, office and residential functions at major nodes in the north. In central business districts, metropolitan centers and transfer station areas (within a 500-meter radius), if nonresidential uses account for 50% or more, the floor area ratio in general commercial zones will be relaxed up to 1,300%. The city plans to create high-density mixed-use landmarks that will drive development in the north and nurture them as growth hubs with fused regional-center functions.
To revive non-station-area neighborhoods, the city will newly promote a "growth-potential activation project" along major arterial roads at least 35 meters wide, such as Tongilro, Dobong-ro and Dongil-ro.
The city will also accelerate the creation of industry and job hubs. It will transform the Chang-dong and Sanggye areas into a new growth axis that fuses industry and culture through the Seoul-style industrial complex S-DBC (Seoul Digital Bio City), centered on advanced research and development (R&D), and the 28,000-seat K-pop–dedicated concert hall Seoul Arena.
The city said S-DBC will attract about 800 job-creating companies and generate an estimated 5.9 trillion won in production inducement effects. It also projected that when Seoul Arena opens in 2027, annual audience demand will reach 2.7 million.
Additionally, in the northwestern zone, the city will pursue linked development of the DMC landmark site and the former Seobu Driver's License Test Center site, and will promote private investment in the three main preliminary negotiation sites: Sampyo Remicon, the Dong Seoul Terminal and the Gwangwoon University station-area site. In the central city zone, it plans to complete aging areas such as the Sewoon District, Seoul Station North Station Area and Yongsan Seoul Core as landmarks combining office, residential, green space and culture.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "Now it's the northern districts' turn to lead Seoul's development," adding, "In as few as four years or as many as 10, you will see a completely new northern Seoul where transportation, industry and jobs come together."