Clash deepens over high-rise near Jongmyo Shrine

A growing conflict between the central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government over high-rise redevelopment in the Sewoon 4 District near Jongmyo Shrine is increasingly resembling a game of chicken. As disputes over potential damage to the shrine’s landscape have become politicized and show clear signs of escalation, claims grounded in inaccurate information have also begun to surface.

On Dec. 11, the Seoul Metropolitan Government strongly objected to a proposed revision to the Enforcement Decree of the World Heritage Act being advanced by the National Heritage Administration. The city argued that uniformly imposing mandatory world heritage impact assessments within a 500-meter radius of heritage sites would amount to an administratively convenient form of double regulation layered onto an already tightly managed urban control system governing building height and landscape. Seoul labeled the proposal a “law that kills northern Seoul,” warning that it would disrupt urban development projects, including redevelopment efforts across six districts and 38 zones.

The following day, the National Heritage Administration issued a rebuttal. It said the revision addresses which projects are subject to world heritage impact assessments, as well as procedures for preliminary review and the preparation of assessment reports, and does not include any provision mandating such assessments within a 500-meter radius. The agency explained that the goal is to establish a legal foundation for the world heritage impact assessment system, which the Seoul government has declined to implement, citing alleged deficiencies in legal procedures.

A review of the legislative notice posted on the agency’s website on Dec. 15 confirms that no such provision exists. The notice simply introduces comparable overseas legislative examples, noting that in France, construction permits within 500 meters of historic monuments require approval from a state-certified architectural and landscape expert, known as an ABF.

Seoul’s misunderstanding appears to have stemmed from remarks made during a briefing on Dec. 10 by National Heritage Administration Director Hur Min, who said the agency was reviewing relevant notices under the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. An agency official explained that the review applies only to properties that are both state-designated cultural heritage sites and world heritage sites, and only to large-scale activities that could affect their value. The review centers on whether approval from the head of the heritage agency should be required for such activities conducted within 500 meters. If such a notice is ultimately adopted, however, areas surrounding Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeok Palace, the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon would be affected.

Forced and illogical comparisons have also entered the debate. Some have likened the proposed high-rise buildings in the Sewoon 4 District to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, arguing that although the tower was criticized at the time of its construction, it later became a symbol of the city. As is widely known, Paris has preserved a cityscape dominated by elegant buildings of roughly six stories through strict height regulations, earning admiration from around the world. Parisians still harbor resentment toward the Montparnasse Tower, completed in 1973, which rises 209 meters.

Rather than competing over whose voice is louder, the debate should return calmly to the root of the issue. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has said the high-rise development in the Sewoon 4 District is intended to generate funds to demolish the Sewoon Shopping Center and create green space. The city estimates that about 1.5 trillion won is required to redevelop the Sewoon area by forming a green corridor linking Jongmyo Shrine and Namsan. Few would oppose reconnecting fragmented green spaces, but whether such a large sum should be spent is a separate question. Even if framed as development gains, high-rise construction inevitably increases urban density and places additional burdens on residents. It remains unclear how much public support exists for raising 1.5 trillion won by encroaching on the visual landscape of Jongmyo while using one of the city’s limited opportunities for vertical development.