A rendering of the planned Gaepo Guryong Village development [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A rendering of the planned Gaepo Guryong Village development [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

A complex of up to 28 stories and 2,120 units is set to rise on the site of Gaepo Guryong Village, widely regarded as the last remaining shantytown in Seoul's Gangnam area. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to develop the site into a large-scale eco-friendly complex in harmony with Daemosan and Guryongsan, with the aim of stabilizing housing supply in the Gangnam area.

The city announced Wednesday that its third Public Housing Integrated Deliberation Committee conditionally approved the "Gaepo Guryong Village Public Housing Construction Project (M Block·B2 Block)" on Tuesday.

With the approval, supply plans for the two key blocks within the broader Guryong Village residential development are now finalized — 300 units in M Block and 1,820 in B2 Block.

Guryong Village in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu [Yonhap]
Guryong Village in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu [Yonhap]

M Block will be built on a 12,901-square-meter site, rising from two below-ground floors to 15 above-ground floors. It will include 115 integrated public rental units, 165 units of Mirinaezip — a long-term jeonse housing program — and 20 publicly sold units.

B2 Block will be a high-rise development on a 52,718-square-meter site, spanning two below-ground floors to 28 above-ground floors. It will provide 643 integrated public rental units and 1,177 Mirinaezip units. Both blocks will offer a range of unit types and floor plans, with exclusive use areas of 31, 36, 49 and 59 square meters.

The city said it will arrange the complex to make the most of Guryong Village's natural topography while preserving as much of the surrounding environment of Daemosan and Guryongsan as possible. Eco-friendly design features aimed at carbon neutrality will also be incorporated, including high-insulation, high-airtightness building envelopes and renewable energy systems.

In addition, the development will create pedestrian-friendly streetscapes linked to neighborhood parks and community facilities, supported by an integrated walking network. The goal is to connect surrounding green corridors with residents' daily living areas, providing a comfortable and safe environment for walking.

The city plans to move quickly, seeking housing construction project approval in the second half of this year before breaking ground in 2027 and targeting completion in 2031.

"This approval puts the supply of more than 2,000 public housing units in Guryong Village firmly on track," said Myeong No-jun, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's housing bureau. "It will not only dramatically improve living conditions in Guryong Village but also deliver quality housing in high-demand Gangnam, making a significant contribution to residential stability for citizens."


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