Debate over so-called “cage apartments” — high-density projects dominated by small units — is spreading to redevelopment around Hyochang Park Station in Seoul’s Yongsan district, even as projects move forward on floor-area-ratio incentives.
According to the redevelopment industry on April 21, the promotion committee for a station-area urban renewal redevelopment project in Wonhyo-ro 1-ga (around 82-1) will hold an on-site briefing on April 23 to select a design firm.
A revised plan was finalized last month after passing the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s City Planning Commission, expanding the project to 2,743 homes, including 553 long-term jeonse units under the Shift program and 210 public rental units for redevelopment.
The area applied for public-led redevelopment in 2020 but failed to meet the aging-building threshold. It was selected in 2021 for Seoul’s “Shift Season 2” program, which allows a floor-area ratio of nearly 500% in exchange for supplying some homes as long-term jeonse at about 80% of market levels.
Some residents say the high-density plan could worsen living conditions and have raised the “cage apartment” criticism. In the area, several villa buildings displayed signs claiming the rental share would exceed 40%. A nearby real estate agent said owners with larger land shares often oppose plans when a higher share of small rental units could reduce the portion available for general sale and lower perceived returns.
The promotion committee rejected that claim, saying the rental share is about 27% and could fall to the low 20% range if the higher floor-area ratio increases the number of for-sale units. It added that support already exceeds 70% after committee approval and said the project faces no obstacles. The committee aims to obtain approval to establish the association in September and select a builder in the second half of the year.
Disputes over rental ratios and project profitability are spreading across the broader area. Near Hyochang Park Station, multiple redevelopment models — including Moa Town, station-area Shift projects and the Urban Public Housing Complex Project — are being pursued at the same time, fueling conflicts tied to differing approaches.
In the Hyochang-dong 5-307 area, officials also adopted the station-area Shift urban renewal redevelopment model. With the designation of the redevelopment zone and public notice of the plan issued on April 16, the project is moving ahead. It calls for 2,993 homes, including 450 redevelopment rental units and 743 long-term jeonse units. Of the total, 1,941 units would be in the 40 to 60 square meter range, reflecting a high-density approach.
Near Exit 5 of Line 6’s Hyochang Park Station, the Yongmun-dong 1-126 area is facing internal conflict over whether to keep a public-led approach or shift to a private-led model. Some have claimed opposition stands at 37%. The area was selected in 2022 as an eighth-round candidate site for the Urban Public Housing Complex Project, which requires consent from at least two-thirds (66.7%) of landowners to be designated as a formal project zone.
Under the Urban Public Housing Complex Project, the Korea Land and Housing Corp., or LH, serves as the project operator. Incentives include a higher floor-area ratio and reduced burdens for public contributions, while 20% to 30% of the housing is used as public housing. That differs from the privately proposed station-area Shift model.
Elsewhere, in the Hyochang-dong 5-291 area, organizers are collecting consent forms to participate in the Urban Public Housing Complex Project. A preparatory committee said that under Season 2, the station-area category was revised to allow a floor-area ratio up to 1.4 times the legal cap, arguing the economics can compete with private redevelopment.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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