A view of Guryong Village in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on July 22YONHAP
Guryong Village, known as the last panjachon (shantytown) of Seoul, will be redeveloped into an apartment complex with buildings of up to 28 stories and more than 2,000 homes.
“The Integrated Commission for Deliberation on Public Housing Projects conditionally approved the public housing construction project for Guryong Village at its third meeting on Tuesday,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday.
The city expects to receive approval for the housing construction project in the second half of this year, with construction to begin in 2027 and the development to be completed in 2031.
The term panjachon, literally meaning “plank village,” refers to informal settlements built from wooden boards, corrugated metal and other salvaged materials. Such communities became common during Korea’s rapid urbanization, as people displaced by redevelopment or arriving from rural areas settled on vacant land without formal housing.
Guryong Village is locatedin Gangnam District, southern Seoul. It is an unauthorized settlement formed by people displaced during Gangnam’s development in the 1980s and is considered Seoul’s last panjachon. The area has a history of frequent accidents, including fires that broke out in certain areasof the villagein January.
Seoul designated Guryong Village as an urban development zone in 2012. The project was subsequently stalled amid disputes over compensation for residents and which entity would oversee development. The city completed the designation process and established a development plan in 2016.
The committee’s decision on Tuesday finalized housing plans for two sectionswithin the development zone.
The B2 section, which spans a52,718-square-meter (567,500-square-foot) site, will hold 1,820 homes in buildings that reach two basement levels below and 28 stories above ground. Of those, 643 will be integrated public rental housing units and 1,177 will be designated as Mirinaejip, Seoul’s long-term deposit-based rental housing program for newlyweds. Unit sizes will range from 31 to 59 square meters.
The M section, which spans a12,901-square-meter site, will hold 300 homes in buildings up to 15 stories, including 115 integrated public rental units, 165 Mirinaejip units and 20 units for public sale.
A view of Guryong Village in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on July 22YONHAP
Mirinaejip units account for 1,342 of the 2,120 homes planned across both sections — more than half. The program aims to improve housing stability for newlyweds and help address Korea's low birthrate.
The city plans to preserve as much of the surrounding natural environment around the nearby Mount Daemoand Mount Guryong as possible when laying out the complex. The development will also incorporate environmentally friendly design, including highly insulated, airtight building exteriors and renewable energy systems.
Pedestrian-friendly streets will link the complex to neighborhood parks and community facilities. The project will also connect nearby green areas with residential neighborhoods to create safer walking routes.
“The project will not only dramatically improve living conditions in Guryong Village but also make a significant contribution to housing stability by supplying quality homes in the highly sought-after Gangnam area,” said Myung Noh-jun, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s housing department.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
