Seoul’s Hannam neighborhood begins vacating 8,000 homes

Over 8,000 households in Seoul’s Hannam neighborhood began vacating their homes Monday as part of a redevelopment project that will turn the sprawling residential area into high-rise apartments, district officials said.

The approximately 386,000-square-meter area, spanning parts of Hannam-dong and Bogwang-dong in Yongsan District, was initially designated for redevelopment in 2003 as part of a bigger urban renewal project in the area. And the final development implementation plan was approved by the district office in June.

Under the project, 197 apartment buildings, as high as 22 stories and capable of housing nearly 6,000 households altogether, will be constructed in an area known as Hannam Zone 3. The area will also feature more than 27,000 square meters of park space and 1,300 square meters of social welfare facilities.

Yongsan District Office said the relocation of current residents began Monday, affecting 8,300 households, including 6,500 renters.

Given the scale of the mass relocation, the district office expected the process will take about two years.

The district office plans to step up safety and crime prevention measures in the area to prepare against possible urban slumming in the relocation process, including the installation of surveillance cameras and patrol posts.

“Hannam Zone 3 is a place for an unprecedentedly massive redevelopment project with a budget of 3 trillion won ($2.2 billion), which will present a picture of a future city for Yongsan District,” district office chief Park Hee-young said.