Exterior view of Daeheung Villa in Siheung-dong [Kukdong Engineering & Construction]
Exterior view of Daeheung Villa in Siheung-dong [Kukdong Engineering & Construction]

Kukdong Engineering & Construction is accelerating its push into publicly supported redevelopment projects in the greater Seoul area. After securing a construction contract this year for a small-scale reconstruction project along the Han River in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, the company has also entered a Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH)-backed street-block housing redevelopment project in Siheung-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, as well as a similar project in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, broadening its project portfolio.

Kukdong CEO Kang Gyeong-min and senior executives recently visited the Siheung-dong project site to inspect conditions and review the development's progress and locational characteristics, industry sources said Tuesday. The company is examining a residential model that reflects the characteristics and local conditions of redevelopment projects in southwestern Seoul.

The project at Siheung-dong 1003 involves redeveloping 98 existing households, including Daeheung Villa, into a residential complex of four buildings with four basement floors and 20 above-ground floors, totaling 231 units. The project was selected through a public competition organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and LH. Following its designation as a "Siheung 3-dong small-scale housing redevelopment management zone" in 2022, the project entered full development mode in 2024 when the residents' association and LH signed a joint project implementation agreement.

The site is expected to benefit from the opening of the Sinansan Line and the ongoing Moa Town management plan. Industry observers say the area has strong potential for residential environment improvements as transportation upgrades and redevelopment proceed simultaneously.

Kukdong is also considering applying its recently unveiled residential platform, The K-House, to the Siheung-dong project. The K-House combines flexible, adaptable floor plans — designed to accommodate changes in family composition and lifestyle — with post-move-in lifestyle services. Its defining feature is a focus on boosting actual residential satisfaction rather than competing on premium finishing materials alone.

In the redevelopment market, a growing number of developers are proposing not just brand prestige but also post-move-in lifestyle services and spatial flexibility. Industry observers say the benchmark for product competition is shifting from exterior aesthetics toward the actual living experience.

"There is growing interest not only in high-spec competition but also in product offerings that can genuinely improve residential satisfaction," a redevelopment industry official said. "How persuasively a contractor can present residential services suited to a site's specific characteristics is increasingly being seen as a measure of competitiveness."

A Kukdong official said, "Product competitiveness that enhances actual residential satisfaction is becoming increasingly important, especially for publicly supported projects. We plan to apply The K-House to the Siheung-dong project and propose residential value centered on the real living experience."

Meanwhile, Kukdong Engineering & Construction and Namkwang Engineering & Construction have launched a unified apartment brand, Haustory, ahead of their 80th founding anniversary and are actively competing for redevelopment project contracts.


lucky@heraldcorp.com