Seoul to provide 96 emergency housing units for Guryong Village fire victims

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH) announced Wednesday they are rolling out residential support measures for residents displaced by a fire that broke out in Guryong Village on Tuesday.

The support measures target the 91 households — 127 people — affected by Tuesday's blaze. Working with the Gangnam-gu district office, the city and SH immediately arranged temporary accommodations and an evacuation center for those left without shelter on the day of the fire.

The fire, which broke out Tuesday, was fully extinguished after 12 hours and 50 minutes. It was the second fire to hit Guryong Village this year, following one in January.

The city and SH plan to provide displaced residents with emergency temporary housing and interim relocation units once they leave the current shelters and evacuation center. Under the Special Act on Public Housing Enforcement Rules, the emergency temporary housing — 96 units secured so far — will be offered as public rental housing for up to six months following a disaster.

Separately, 213 rental units are available for any Guryong Village resident to move into temporarily during the ongoing urban development project in the area. Of the 1,107 households currently living there, 938 have already relocated, while 169 have yet to do so.

Under the relocation support plan, rental deposits are fully waived and monthly rent is reduced on a sliding scale based on income, ensuring that low-income residents can live without the burden of rental costs.

In addition, the city and SH plan to provide 1,107 units of integrated public rental housing so that residents can resettle in Guryong Village after the development project is completed.

"I extend my deepest sympathies to the residents who are suffering from this sudden fire," said Kang Seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Balanced Development Bureau. "We will make every effort to prioritize the safety of residents above all else and actively support both fire victims and all residents so they can live in a safe environment."