Ulsan pushes to complete long-stalled Seonam District 1 land readjustment project

Ulsan is moving to complete the Seonam District 1 land readjustment project, which broke ground in 1993 and finished construction in 2019 but has remained uncertified due to conflicts between private land and stream-covering structures.

The city officially launched the "Seonam District 1 Land Readjustment Project Task Force" on Friday afternoon at a conference room on the third floor of the Free Economic Zone Authority building, with officials from Ulsan, Nam-gu and the project association in attendance.

The task force is a public-private joint body of 11 members drawn from Ulsan, Nam-gu and the association. Urban Affairs Director Yun Deok-jung leads the group, which also includes relevant departments from Ulsan and Nam-gu, the association, and resident representatives from the Seogwang and Humanville apartment complexes. The team was formed in line with a directive issued at a meeting chaired by Mayor Kim Sang-uk on July 9, calling for "workable solutions and active administrative support."

The task force will focus on five areas: acquiring and compensating for private land that conflicts with stream structures; exploring land-use options linked to the construction of public buildings; providing administrative support for the completion process; handing over and taking over public facilities; and gathering residents' opinions and mediating complaints. Permitting and administrative procedures will be fast-tracked in parallel.

Ulsan said it plans to use the task force to quickly resolve disputes arising during the project and build a cooperative framework between the association and city administration. The city intends to shift from a passive oversight role to one of direct participation — working alongside stakeholders to develop practical solutions and actively support the project's normalization.

"Seonam District 1 has been a long-stalled site where residents have endured inconvenience and restrictions on their property rights for more than 30 years without completion," Urban Affairs Director Yun said. "This task force is not merely a consultative body — it is a public-private joint action organization for normalizing the project. We will concentrate every administrative resource available so that residents can recover their property rights and enjoy a normal living environment as soon as possible."