Seoul residents face backlash over move to block walkway

A controversy has emerged after an apartment complex in Godeok-dong, Gangdong District, Seoul, announced plans to block a public walkway running through the complex to a nearby subway station, preventing access by nonresidents. Residents argue they have suffered damage from outsiders entering private property and therefore must restrict access, while nearby residents counter that closing a walkway, which was promised as a condition for redevelopment approval, is an act of selfishness that disregards the inconvenience to others.

Disputes over closing public walkways have resurfaced repeatedly over the years. In 2019, a redeveloped apartment complex in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam District, built a 1.5-meter wall to prevent outsiders from accessing a walkway. The complex had received a floor-area-ratio incentive during reconstruction on the condition that the walkway remain open to the public.

Although the promise was not honored, the only penalty was a fine of 1 million won, which was imposed not for blocking the walkway itself but for installing a structure without district office approval. Last year, residents of the same complex won a lawsuit against the district office, which had attempted to prevent them from building the wall. The court ruled that the obligation to keep the walkway open was a pledge made by the redevelopment association, not a legal duty that transferred to residents after the complex’s completion.

The problem is likely to intensify. Current large-scale redevelopment projects in areas such as Apgujeong and Yeouido are situated along the Han River. In the Apgujeong 3 redevelopment, planners already faced disputes over whether to construct a public walkway at ground level connecting the complex to the river. Given existing legal precedents, these projects may install walkways to secure approval but then block access with walls once residents move in. If walkways are closed, newly built complexes could turn into fortress-like barriers along the Han River.

When disputes arise, residents often argue that their private property rights are being infringed. But is the value of a redevelopment project truly created solely by the residents who live there? Location is a decisive factor in real estate value, including proximity to subway stations, schools, and major roads. Such infrastructure is built and maintained with public funds and significantly influences land values. Redevelopment projects also require access to this infrastructure to be feasible.

Closing public walkways allows residents to monopolize shared public value. Residents cite safety concerns, crime risks, and maintenance costs as reasons for closure, but these issues can be resolved through discussions among residents, local authorities, and neighboring communities. Proper legal and institutional frameworks governing walkway ownership and management could prevent the practice of installing a walkway to gain approval and then closing it afterward.

In South Korea, apartments have evolved into closed communities where most daily activities occur within the complex. The practice of building walls and excluding outsiders has contributed to the country’s apartment-centered housing culture, reinforced social stratification between neighborhoods and complexes, and fueled rapid apartment price increases. The government and local authorities should act quickly to resolve public walkway disputes to prevent newly built complexes from reverting to gated, inward-looking communities.