Seoul districts push to wrest redevelopment zone authority from city

Seoul's Dongjak-gu announced Sunday that it has formed a task force among district boroughs to pursue the transfer of authority over redevelopment zone designation, holding the group's first meeting.

Fifteen of Seoul's autonomous districts took part in the meeting. Participants discussed not only the transfer of redevelopment zone designation authority but also the transfer of integrated review authority, raising the prospect of a conflict with the Seoul Metropolitan Government over the handover of those powers.

The TF was established following a proposal put forward by Dongjak-gu District Mayor Ryu Sam-young at the Seoul District Mayors' Council meeting on Aug. 12, in which he called for transferring to district boroughs the authority to designate and modify redevelopment zones. Ryu argued at the time that key redevelopment project powers are concentrated in the central government and metropolitan authorities, leaving district boroughs with limited ability to respond swiftly to local conditions and residents' needs.

The TF will pursue three goals: jointly identifying areas for regulatory reform related to redevelopment projects, drafting proposed revisions to laws and regulations, and consulting with relevant agencies including the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The inaugural meeting, organized by Dongjak-gu and held at the district office on Friday, was attended by redevelopment project officials from 15 Seoul districts. While many of the participating districts have not disclosed their involvement publicly, most are known to be led by district mayors affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea.

The national government and the ruling party agreed at a senior party-government consultative meeting on Aug. 23 to pursue legislation expanding the authority of local government heads over redevelopment and reconstruction projects involving fewer than 500 units in Seoul. The two sides agreed that allowing district boroughs — which are more familiar with local conditions and residents' needs — to handle the relevant procedures could shorten the approval process. Seventeen of Seoul's 25 district mayors are members of the Democratic Party.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government pushed back the following day, Aug. 24, saying in a briefing that the proposal was "nothing more than a slogan from those who don't understand what actually happens at redevelopment sites" and that it "could lead to haphazard development and approval delays across districts, rather than speeding up projects." The response was widely interpreted as resistance to what amounts to an effort to sideline the city government.

The meeting covered three main reform proposals aimed at accelerating redevelopment projects: transferring to district boroughs the authority to designate and modify redevelopment zones involving fewer than 500 units, expanding the scope of minor modifications to redevelopment plans, and transferring integrated review authority over project implementation approvals to district boroughs. Participants also shared the current status of redevelopment projects in their respective districts, discussed difficulties encountered in operating the existing system, and exchanged views on the structural limitations they face on the ground and the need for authority to be transferred closer to the local level.

Based on the outcomes of the meeting, Dongjak-gu plans to formally present specific reform proposals on the transfer of redevelopment zone authority at the 204th regular meeting of the Seoul District Mayors' Council, scheduled for Wednesday.

"The process of carrying out redevelopment projects can vary depending on local conditions and the nature of each project, which is why the role of district boroughs — closest to the scene — is so important," Ryu said. "We will draw on the discussions from the TF meeting to develop the necessary reform measures and work actively with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government to ensure redevelopment projects can proceed smoothly."