Fifteen district governments in Seoul have begun working-level discussions aimed at expanding their authority over urban redevelopment projects. With the government and the ruling party pushing to transfer the power to designate redevelopment zones for small-scale projects of 500 units or fewer from metropolitan mayors to district chiefs, the districts are now seeking specific institutional changes of their own. Because the discussions extend beyond zone designation to the transfer of integrated review authority, they are likely to put the districts at odds with the Seoul metropolitan government over how powers should be divided.
Working-level officials handling redevelopment projects in the 15 districts held the first meeting of a task force on transferring redevelopment zone designation powers at the Dongjak District Office on the 2nd, according to the district on the 6th. The task force, organized by Dongjak District, was formed to jointly identify issues related to redevelopment projects, draft proposals to revise laws and regulations, and consult with the Seoul metropolitan government, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other agencies. Many of the participating districts have not disclosed their involvement, but most are known to be districts led by chiefs from the Democratic Party.
The meeting, attended by team-level officials, took up items including the transfer to districts of the power to designate and revise redevelopment zones of fewer than 500 units, ways to broaden the scope of what counts as a "minor change" to a redevelopment plan — a step the ruling party is pursuing — and the transfer of integrated review authority exercised before approval of a project implementation plan. "We are looking for ways to make such a transfer of authority possible," a Dongjak District official said. "Based on that, we will present a specific direction for institutional reform at the regular meeting of the council of district chiefs on the 14th."
At a high-level government-party meeting in August, the government and the ruling party agreed to pursue institutional changes that would expand the authority of district chiefs over redevelopment and rebuilding projects of 500 units or fewer in Seoul. The aim is to shorten permit periods by having districts, which are familiar with local conditions and residents' needs, handle the relevant procedures.
The Seoul metropolitan government opposes the move, arguing that transferring the authority is unlikely to shorten project timelines and could lead to haphazard development. Seven of the nine main permits for redevelopment projects already fall under district authority, the city says, and the zone designation review and integrated review it handles are needed to secure adequate citywide urban planning, transportation and education infrastructure. "If districts gain the power to designate and revise redevelopment zones of 500 units or fewer, project sites will be split up or bundled even within the same association, development on the scale of small-block housing projects will increase, and the resulting uncertainty will become another cost," a Seoul city official said. "The integrated review in particular covers eight areas at once, including environment, transportation and construction. It rests on capabilities the city has built up over time, and no district has the capacity to handle all of it."
The key issues in future talks are expected to be the scope of the powers to be handed to the districts and how to reconcile that with the city's role in citywide coordination. Also up for discussion, along with the division of authority at the zone designation stage, is how far plan changes and review procedures that arise during a project can be streamlined. "Based on the views discussed at the task force meeting, we will draw up the institutional improvements that are needed and work actively with the Seoul metropolitan government and the central government," Dongjak District Chief Ryu Sam-young said.
