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Four to five new ‘mini cities’ to be built in the Seoul metropolitan area

Four to five new ‘mini cities’ to be built in the Seoul metropolitan area

Posted September. 22, 2018 07:36,   

Updated September. 22, 2018 07:36

한국어

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has announced to establish four to five new “mini cities” of 3.3 million square meters around the Seoul metropolitan area. Starting from 2021, 35,000 homes will be built in 17 new housing sites of th area.

The ministry released a plan Friday to increase housing supply in the metropolitan area. Four to five large-scale housing sites of larger than 3.3 million square meters will be built between Seoul and the first-generation new cities. Around 40,000 to 50,000 homes will be supplied per housing site, putting the total number at 200,000. The first-generation new cities were established around Gyeonggi Province, consisting of Bundang in Seongnam, Ilsan in Goyang, Pyeongchon in Anyang, Sanbon in Gunpo and Joongdong in Bucheon. The ministry stands to announce one to two locations first by the end of this year.

Only two in-Seoul locations were included in the latest plan - a previous site where the Seongdong detention center was situated in Garak-dong in Songpa district, and Jaegeon Village in Gaepo-dong in Gangnam district. The Seoul city government is soon to announce nine locations that have not yet been released, on which preliminary procedures are currently carried out. Meanwhile, at least the recently announced plan does not include ways to lift green-belt restrictions, about which the ministry and the Seoul city government have argued to the last minute. Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mi, however, mentioned that a lifting of the green belt could occur if necessary, implying a possibility of lifting the restriction next time.

The metropolitan area will see new housing sites befitting a total of 24,960 units in various areas in Gyeonggi Province – Haahn 2 in Gwangmyeong, Cheonggye 2 in Uiwang, Sinchon in Seongnam, Hajoong in Siheung, Woojeong in Uijeongbu, and the Geomam station sphere in Incheon. Gwacheon and Ansan were excluded in the announced plan. Including the two cities, a total of eight locations had been disclosed beforehand by Rep. Shin Chang-hyun of the ruling Minjoo Party, causing controversy.

Added to the 35,000 homes announced at this time, housing sites for 265,000 homes will be selected and announced by the first half of next year.


Ae-Jin Ju jaj@donga.com · Sung-Hwi Kang yolo@donga.com