Measure clears urban planning committee; target sites expanded from 13 to 16 after two rounds of public notice. Four types of property division restricted for three years, with automatic lift upon designation as a redevelopment zone.
Seoul's Nowon-gu has launched a formal effort to block the practice known as "commercial unit splitting," which has long been cited as a major obstacle to apartment reconstruction projects.
A proposed activity restriction covering 16 reconstruction sites cleared the Nowon-gu Urban Planning Committee, putting in place a regulatory mechanism to prevent indiscriminate division of ownership rights in the early stages of reconstruction.
Nowon-gu said Thursday that following the committee's approval of the activity restriction plan for 16 sites, it will proceed with subsequent steps to officially publish the topographic map.
Under current rules, establishing a reconstruction association requires the consent of at least 70 percent of all unit owners and landowners in a housing complex by area, as well as a majority of all unit owners of welfare facilities.
The concern arises when privately owned portions of buildings or land are subdivided before a redevelopment zone is formally designated, increasing the number of unit owners. This can make it harder to secure the consent rate needed to form an association, and can lead to additional demands — such as claims for apartment pre-sale rights, higher valuations of existing assets, and requests to exclude commercial areas — ultimately delaying projects and undermining their viability.
To head off these problems, the district conducted two rounds of public notice and expanded the list of target sites. A first round ran from Oct. 15 to Oct. 29, covering 13 sites including Wolgye Samho 4th Complex, followed by a second round from Oct. 27 to Tuesday that added three more sites, including Sanggye Jugong Complex 10.
The final list of 16 sites subject to the activity restriction comprises Wolgye Samho 4th Complex, Wolgye Siyeong High-rise, Hagye Hanshin Dongseong, Sanggye Jugong Complex 2, Hagye Jangmi, Hagye Miseong, Junggye Green, Sanggye Jugong Complex 3, Junggye Jugong Complex 8, Sanggye Jugong Complex 7, Hagye Hyundai Useong, Sanggye Jugong Complex 11, Hagye Geukdong Geonnyeong Byeoksan, Sanggye Jugong Complex 10, Sanggye Jugong Complex 14 and Sanggye Jugong Complex 1.
The four types of activity to be restricted are: construction of new buildings, land subdivision, conversion of a general building register to a collective building register, and subdivision of exclusively owned portions listed in a collective building register.
However, exceptions may be granted through a Nowon-gu Urban Planning Committee review when unavoidable circumstances are recognized, such as the need to improve the usability of an existing building. The measure is designed to block speculative ownership splits while ensuring that residents acting in good faith are not penalized in exercising their property rights.
The restriction will remain in effect for three years from the date the topographic map is officially published. If a target area is designated and announced as a redevelopment zone during that period, the restriction will be automatically lifted the following day.
"It is important to prevent resident conflicts and project delays caused by commercial unit splitting and similar practices in the early stages of reconstruction," Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-o said. "Through this activity restriction, we will block speculative ownership divisions and continue to provide the support needed so that the reconstruction projects our residents have long waited for can move forward smoothly."
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