A controversy has emerged over the appropriateness of development density and public contribution in the Wanggil District urban development project in Seo-gu, Incheon, which was approved by the Incheon Metropolitan Government. The dispute arises as the project was pursued at a level exceeding the development density standards under the higher-level plan, while critics point out that its infrastructure ratio is lower than that of comparable small-scale urban development projects.
According to reporting compiled by The Seoul Economic Daily on the 9th, the total density of the Wanggil District — formerly a religious organization's communal cemetery — was 364.1 people per hectare at the time of approval, exceeding the standard of 200 or fewer people per hectare set under Incheon's 2040 Urban Master Plan. The Incheon city government applied net density rather than total density, citing grounds such as the project being a small-scale development of 100,000 square meters or less. The Wanggil District covers 42,896 square meters, and the net density applied by the city was 524.5 people per hectare.
However, there are differing views over whether the application of such standards was appropriate. Although the Wanggil District has a smaller site than the Bangchuk District (84,144 square meters), Munhak District (81,250 square meters), and Yonghyeon-Hagik 1-4 District (87,612 square meters) — all of which are similarly small-scale urban development projects — its planned population is at a comparable level. While the Bangchuk District's planned population is 1,743, the Wanggil District's is 1,562, only 181 fewer. In other words, although the site area is about half that of the Bangchuk District, the difference in planned population is not large.
The infrastructure ratio is also a point of contention. The Wanggil District's infrastructure ratio is 29.5 percent, the lowest among the comparison districts. It is about half that of the Bangchuk District (53.0 percent) and falls short of the three-district average (43.6 percent). Since the area provided as public facilities is relatively small, some interpret this as meaning the business site available to the private developer has grown larger. In particular, during the reexamination process at the 7th Urban Planning Committee meeting in 2023, the number of housing units was reduced from 670 to 620, but the infrastructure ratio was lowered from 30.6 percent to 29.5 percent. The plan for a floor area ratio of 239.34 percent and a maximum of 36 stories was maintained.
There is also controversy over the level of public contribution. Local brokerage firms expect the Wanggil District's sale price to be in the range of 18 million to 20 million won per 3.3 square meters, based on the sale prices of adjacent project sites and other factors. Considering the plan for 620 units of the 84-square-meter exclusive-use type, the total sale amount is estimated at approximately 380 billion to 420 billion won. In contrast, the Incheon city government explained that the scale of public contribution is around 3.2 billion won, citing grounds such as the fact that the site was formerly a conservation green area.
The development method is also a subject of controversy. The Wanggil District is being pursued through an "expropriation or use method" rather than a land replotting method. This is a method in which the developer secures ownership by purchasing or expropriating the land and then develops it. For this reason, critics point out that a review is needed on whether the mechanism for recapturing development profits is sufficient.
In local political circles, some argue that the overall structure of the project should be examined. Seok Jeong-gyu, chairman of the Urban Construction Committee of the Incheon Metropolitan Council, said, "There are concerns that while substantial development profits are expected from the density increase, public contribution is insufficient," adding, "We plan to review the project as a whole through measures such as an administrative affairs audit."
However, the Incheon city government maintains that there is no procedural problem. An Incheon city official explained, "Unlike general urban development projects that include various types of infrastructure, the Wanggil District had net density applied," adding, "The net density of small-scale projects in Incheon is in the range of 519 to 653 people per hectare, and the Wanggil District also falls within this range. It was also reported to and accepted at the Urban Planning Committee's reexamination in July 2023." However, when asked whether net density is an official term under the law, the official answered, "It is not separately defined in the law."
Company A, the project developer, also denied the allegations. A Company A official said, "It cost a considerable amount to relocate more than 1,500 graves at the communal cemetery, which received a closure order in 2007, at private expense," adding, "Under the current density standards, it is difficult to make the project viable, so we proposed reflecting the population plan. Small parks and the like are to be donated as contributions, so (the claim of preferential treatment) is groundless."
