In response to delays exceeding four months in designating a project operator for the Changsin 9-10 area in Jongno District, Seoul has established a new standard for processing applications within 30 days. This initiative aims to standardize the approval procedures for redevelopment projects across different districts, reducing unnecessary administrative delays.
On October 27, the Seoul city government announced the implementation of a 'Standardization Plan for Redevelopment Project Processing Guidelines,' which has been communicated to relevant departments and the 25 autonomous districts for immediate execution. The city cited the Changsin 9 area as an example, noting that some districts have prolonged the designation of project operators for months, claiming there is no legal deadline for processing these applications.
The Changsin 9-10 area was designated as a redevelopment zone in November last year and applied for a project operator designation from a trust company in June. However, as of now, the designation has yet to be finalized. In response, the city sent three requests for cooperation to Jongno District on August 28, September 9, and September 21, urging prompt action. Nevertheless, Jongno District formed a separate task force in September to review issues related to the consent collection process and the calculation of estimated contribution fees.
On October 23, Jongno District requested to re-collect consent forms for the designation of the trust project operator. This request followed allegations that the district promised items worth approximately 40 million won, such as built-in appliances, balcony extensions, and system air conditioners, to secure the consent of 75% of landowners, raising concerns about coercive consent collection.
Jongno District is investigating reports from residents opposing the redevelopment and has conducted legal reviews, concluding that the consent collection process may violate Article 132 of the Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Act. Additionally, the district is examining the appropriateness of the estimated contribution fees and the differences in construction costs and fees between adjacent areas.
To enhance predictability in the project operator designation process, Seoul has decided to apply the '30-day processing' standard to both public operators and designated developers (such as trust companies). Currently, there is a legal processing deadline of 30 days for establishing project associations, but no specific deadline for designating project operators, prompting the city to establish uniform criteria.
The city will also improve the consultation and supplementation procedures during the approval process. Upon receiving an application, relevant agencies and departments will be notified simultaneously, and public consultations will be conducted alongside departmental discussions. Delays or refusals to accept applications based on the lack of prior reviews or face-to-face reports will be prohibited in principle.
The consultation period with relevant agencies will be standardized to 10 days, with a one-time extension of 5 days allowed. If no response or extension request is received within the deadline, it will be considered as having no objections under the 'deemed consultation' system. Requests for document supplementation will be limited to a maximum of two, with a 10-day deadline for completion.
On October 26, Seoul requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to formalize the 30-day processing deadline for project operator designations in relevant laws, including the Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Act. The new standard processing guidelines will take effect immediately after their establishment, and they may also apply to projects submitted before the implementation if the autonomous district deems it necessary.
Myung No-jun, head of the Housing Bureau at Seoul City, stated, "Through the standardization of redevelopment project processing guidelines, we aim to reduce administrative discrepancies among districts and create a more predictable redevelopment environment. We will continue to actively identify and improve unnecessary administrative delays to facilitate swift housing supply."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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