All 27 redevelopment projects in Seoul that have not yet begun construction after residents have relocated are included in the city’s list of 85 sites designated for rapid construction. Among these, 15 projects (55.6%) have a target construction start year set for after 2027, meaning residents will have to wait a significant period after vacating their homes. Experts have pointed out the need to manage not only the acceleration of permits and relocation schedules but also the conditions necessary for actual construction, such as cost negotiations and funding, to reduce the housing gap caused by redevelopment projects.
According to a report by Aju Economy on September 27, based on the current status of redevelopment projects in Seoul, all 27 unstarted sites are part of the 85 locations announced by the city in February as part of the '85,000-unit rapid construction' initiative. Of these 27 sites, 12 have a target start year of 2027, involving a total of 10,157 units, while three sites are targeted for 2028, accounting for 897 units. In total, 15 sites, representing 11,054 units, make up 55.6% of all unstarted projects after relocation.
While the target deadlines for these projects have not yet passed, the time taken to begin construction after residents have vacated continues to create a housing gap between relocation and construction. There are calls to not only expedite construction timelines but also to assess whether the conditions for actual construction are in place from the time of relocation.
Seoul is strengthening its management responsibilities for rapid construction and monitoring the extent of delays at each site. The standard construction contract, revised in July, stipulates that relocation must be completed within 14 months from the date of the management decision announcement, and demolition must begin within 15 days of receiving the demolition permit, with completion required within four months. Actual construction must start within 15 days of receiving the construction report.
However, there is no set timeframe for the period between completing demolition and receiving the construction report. Even if a deadline for actual construction is established after the report is issued, delays can occur if cost negotiations, financing, or subsequent procedures are not finalized before the report is issued.
For projects that have already completed relocation, it is necessary to clarify the responsible parties and timelines for remaining tasks. It is essential to distinguish what remains in terms of cost agreements, funding, and administrative procedures, and to manage the time taken from relocation and demolition to actual construction. Evaluating how much the waiting period has been reduced following policy support is crucial to assess the housing gap that is not reflected solely in annual construction figures.
Seoul is also enhancing its management processes this year. According to the city, as of August, 15,000 of the 30,000 housing units targeted for construction this year have begun, achieving about 50% of the goal. Additionally, through 15 progress meetings, the number of projects with a C-grade delay has decreased by 20%, while A-grade projects increased by 9% and B-grade projects by 11%.
However, this does not directly show how much the waiting time from resident relocation to actual construction has been reduced. To concretely assess the effectiveness of policies, it is necessary to track the completion dates of relocations, demolitions, construction report filings, and actual construction dates to identify where delays occur.
The management of not only currently delayed projects but also the schedules for future relocations and demolitions remains a challenge for the rapid construction policy.
Seojin Hyung, a professor at Kwangwoon University’s Department of Real Estate Law, stated, “The reasons for delays in construction after relocation include conflicts over construction costs, issues with project financing, and delays in administrative permit processes. Ultimately, redevelopment projects are the responsibility of the association members, who must apply for the necessary procedures.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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