Hannam District 3 in Seoul's Yongsan district will carry out infrastructure work and apply for a revised project implementation plan at the same time, aiming to break ground by the end of this year. Once the district finishes demolition and moves into main construction, the Hannam redevelopment promotion zone — known as Hannam New Town — will take its first step toward becoming a large residential area of more than 12,000 homes.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 16th that its 19th integrated review committee for redevelopment projects had conditionally approved the integrated review plan for the Hannam District 3 housing redevelopment project at a meeting on the 15th.
Hannam District 3, which spans 386,364.5 square meters across the Hannam-dong and Bogwang-dong areas, is in the final stage of demolition, with 99% of existing buildings taken down. Demolition is scheduled to be completed within this year, followed by the start of main construction.
Rather than clearing the remaining steps one by one, the city plans to handle them simultaneously to shorten the project timeline. Hannam District 3 consists of eight blocks and 13 apartment building lots, requiring internal roads and land to be prepared before apartment construction begins. The city will pursue the revised project implementation plan reflecting the integrated review results while preparing road work for infrastructure inside the district, with the goal of starting that work this year.
"It normally takes at least three to six months just to prepare road work after project implementation approval, but Hannam District 3 can shorten that period by handling the related procedures at the same time," a Seoul city official said. "The aim is to pick up the pace so construction can start within this year."
With Hannam District 3 breaking ground, Hannam New Town, where redevelopment has dragged on for years, is expected to enter the construction stage district by district. Hannam District 2, where residents are currently relocating, is targeting a groundbreaking in the second half of next year. Districts 4 and 5, which are preparing to file for approval of their management and disposal plans, plan to start construction in the first half of 2031. District 1, whose project stalled after the area lost its redevelopment designation in 2017, is preparing a fast-track plan.
Completion of these projects will substantially reshape the residential landscape in the Hannam-dong and Bogwang-dong areas. Districts 2 through 5, where plans have taken concrete shape, will supply a combined 12,430 homes, and if District 1 is eventually developed, the aging low-rise residential area stretching from the foot of Namsan to the Han River is expected to be remade into a large new residential district of more than 13,000 homes. That is larger than Olympic Park Foreon in Gangdong district, with 12,032 homes, and the Apgujeong apartment zone, with about 12,000 homes. "As construction begins in Hannam District 3 and the remaining districts follow in stages, Hannam New Town will establish itself as a central residential area linking Apgujeong and Banpo," an official in the redevelopment industry said.
The scale of public rental housing is also substantial. Hannam District 3 will have 123 buildings of up to 21 stories with a total of 5,970 homes, of which 1,020 will be public rental units. An elementary school, seven parks, a public office building, social welfare facilities and parking lots will be built alongside them, forming a self-contained neighborhood. Building heights and forms will be arranged to make use of the hilly terrain between Namsan and the Han River, and a landscape plan reflecting views of both will be applied. Greenery and landscaped areas will be placed along Usadan-ro and public pedestrian passages to create shaded walking routes. The integrated review committee asked the project to be adjusted so that excessive retaining walls are avoided given the terrain.
"Hannam District 3 is a landmark project representing Seoul, and with 5,970 homes along with schools, parks and other infrastructure, residential satisfaction will improve considerably," said Myung No-jun, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's housing bureau. "We will closely manage the permitting process going forward to ensure that this large-scale housing supply is delivered quickly."
