Seongdong-gu District Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa called for close communication and cooperation among relevant agencies after the mixed-use development project on the Sampyo Remicon site in Seongsu-dong was put on hold during a review by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Greater Seoul Area Coordination Working Committee.
"The mixed-use development of the Sampyo site is the future of Seongdong-gu and a key project to strengthen Seoul's global competitiveness," Yoo said Tuesday on Facebook. She added that the central government, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seongdong-gu must pool their efforts to find a wise and rational solution that meets residents' expectations.
The Sampyo Remicon site in Seongsu-dong has subjected nearby residents to dust and noise for decades, and locals have long hoped to see it transformed into a global business hub combining residential, office and cultural functions.
Yoo said the project goes beyond a simple construction undertaking and represents a core development initiative that would raise the future value of both Seongdong-gu and Seoul as a whole. She said she expects the project to improve the surrounding transport environment through roughly 600 billion won ($420 million) in public contributions, while attracting global and unicorn companies to create new jobs and growth opportunities for young people.
Yoo also said she recognizes the need to expand housing supply and stabilize the residential market in the city center. However, she said a prolonged delay to a key hub development project that has been under discussion for years could shrink the regional development benefits originally anticipated and weaken market signals on housing supply — factors that must all be weighed together.
She urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to take a forward-looking approach and broadly consider the future value and public benefits of the Sampyo site development, so that a supplementary review can proceed smoothly as soon as possible. She also called on the Seoul Metropolitan Government to prepare flexible and workable alternatives addressing the ministry's supplementary requirements and to engage actively in consultations.
"If procedural disagreements drag the project out, the burden will ultimately fall on residents," Yoo said. "It is urgent to find a rational solution through dialogue and cooperation rather than unproductive conflict." She added that she would "seek a wise resolution solely on the side of residents" and work more closely with the central government and Seoul to ensure the mixed-use development of the Sampyo site comes to fruition as originally intended.
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