LH accelerates urban housing projects in Seoul, targeting 5,032 units across three sites

Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) is moving to accelerate follow-up procedures for three newly designated urban public housing complex project sites in Seoul as part of efforts to expand housing supply in the city center.

LH announced Friday that it will swiftly advance contractor selection and project plan approvals for three urban complex project sites — the Singil 4 zone, Nokbeon-dong Neighborhood Park, and the area near Songjeong-dong Community Center — with a combined capacity of 5,032 units.

The urban complex project program is a government-led redevelopment scheme in which public institutions such as LH act directly as project operators in aging urban areas where private redevelopment is difficult. Participants receive floor-area-ratio incentives and expedited permitting to accelerate housing delivery. Since its introduction in 2021, LH has been running projects at 44 sites nationwide, targeting approximately 73,000 units.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officially designated all three areas as urban complex project zones on Sept. 30. In Yeongdeungpo-gu, the Singil 4 zone — covering 51,824.97 square meters — is slated to receive 1,273 units. Its proximity to major business districts such as Yeouido is expected to make it a residential hub catering to workers seeking short commutes.

The Nokbeon-dong Neighborhood Park site in Eunpyeong-gu, spanning 91,162 square meters, will provide 2,676 units. The site sits near Bulgwang and Nokbeon stations on subway lines 3 and 6, offering strong access to the city center, and is adjacent to a neighborhood park that will contribute to a nature-friendly residential environment.

In Gangbuk-gu, 1,083 units will be built near the Songjeong-dong Community Center on a 36,322-square-meter site. The location is within walking distance of Mia Sageori Station on subway line 4 and the planned Changmun Girls' High School Station on the forthcoming Dongbuk Line, making it a transit-oriented development. Once nearby urban complex projects at Jangwi 12 and Mia 16 are also completed, the area is expected to form a large residential cluster of around 3,000 units.

Following the zone designations, LH plans to finalize private contractor selection as quickly as possible to keep project plan approvals on track. The corporation will strengthen consultation and communication with residents from the planning stage to develop site-specific project plans, and will provide relevant drawings and design guidelines to prospective contractors in advance to streamline the selection process.

A key feature of the projects will be an integrated design-build procurement model, under which a single private operator takes full responsibility for design, approvals and construction. LH said the approach will draw on private-sector creativity and expertise to raise housing quality while eliminating a separate architectural competition phase, significantly shortening overall project timelines.

"We will push ahead with follow-up procedures without delay so that housing supply in the city center can be expanded at the earliest opportunity and residents' living environments can be dramatically improved," an LH official said.

Meanwhile, LH has established a dedicated metropolitan redevelopment unit — the LH Greater Seoul Redevelopment Special Headquarters — and assigned 244 full-time staff to ensure a stable volume of urban housing ground-breakings each year.