The government plans to establish new public housing districts in three areas of the metropolitan region, including Gangseo in Seoul and Namyangju and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province, totaling over 27,000 units. The time from the announcement of new land sites to the start of construction will be reduced by nearly half, aiming for groundbreaking within three to four years. The government intends to secure a total of 100,000 units or more in new public housing sites in the metropolitan area by the end of the year.
According to the "Rapid Housing Supply Plan" announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on August 13, the new public housing districts will include 1,000 units in Yeomchang-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul; 21,700 units in Wabu-eup, Namyangju; and 4,500 units in Jangji-dong, Gwangju, for a total of 27,200 units.
In Seoul, the site of Yeomchang Park has been selected for the new housing project. The 51,000 square meter area has been left unused for nearly 20 years since a private development project was canceled in 2006. The plan includes the construction of 1,000 public housing units, along with the creation of open green spaces connected to the existing Yeomchang Park, aimed at providing affordable housing for young people and others without homes.
The project will streamline the process by integrating district designation and planning, while also expediting compensation. The government aims to begin construction by 2029, 33 months after the announcement of the candidate sites.
The largest development will be in the urban area of Namyangju, where 21,700 units will be built on 2.28 million square meters in Wabu-eup. This area is adjacent to the urban station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and includes the Korea University Deokso Farm, located in a greenbelt area.
The government plans to proactively establish a comprehensive transportation plan linked to the existing railway network and develop an agricultural bio-cluster to create a self-sufficient city. The goal is to complete district designation by the second half of 2027, finish compensation by the second half of 2029, and start construction in the first half of 2030.
In Gwangju, 4,500 units will be built in the area around Gyeonggi Gwangju Station, covering 480,000 square meters. This site is close to the Gyeonggang Line station and is expected to improve access to Seoul further with the upcoming Suseo-Gwangju Line, set to open in 2031.
The plan includes creating a youth-focused residential complex by utilizing the industrial network connecting Pangyo Techno Valley and the Yongin semiconductor cluster. Similar to Namyangju, the government aims to designate the district in the second half of 2027, complete compensation by the second half of 2029, and begin construction in the first half of 2030.
The 27,000 units announced are part of the government's new land supply plan. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to announce an additional 73,000 units or more by the end of the year, increasing the total number of new public housing units to 100,000 or more.
Notably, the 73,000 units that have not yet been disclosed are not merely under review but are effectively confirmed locations, according to the government.
Minister Kim Yoon-deok stated, "The 73,000 units have already been agreed upon with local governments," adding that the delay in announcement is due to administrative review processes, including gathering resident opinions.
He also suggested that the undeclared sites may include areas within development-restricted zones (greenbelts). Minister Kim emphasized the importance of preserving greenbelts but noted that if areas can be released for housing development, it could significantly stabilize supply.
He further explained, "The areas we are considering for development are primarily those that are already significantly damaged and rated 3 to 4 in terms of environmental quality," and expressed plans to actively prepare for additional supply in consultation with the Seoul city government and local authorities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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