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Political negotiation needed to resolve the Sewoon redevelopment clash

Published: 26 Nov. 2025, 00:02

Shin June-bong

The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

For voters without firm political loyalties, or for those easily swayed by strong voices, the age of polarization is exhausting. People are pushed into frequent moments of self-censorship, asking themselves whether certain remarks can be made in certain company.

A view of the Sewoon District 4 area in Jongno District, central Seoul, is seen on Nov. 6. The Supreme Court upheld the validity of a Seoul Metropolitan Government ordinance that eased development restrictions outside historical and cultural preservation zones without consultation with the National Heritage Administration the same day. The ruling drew attention for its connection to the redevelopment project across from Jongmyo Shrine. [YONHAP]

Sewoon Arcade in central Seoul, completed in the late 1960s, was once a symbol of Korean modernist architecture rising from the ashes of the postwar years. Its days as a prime commercial district were brief, but the capabilities attributed to the technicians who worked there in the 1970s and 1980s were legendary. Some claimed they could build anything from submarines and missiles to satellites. The exaggeration only underscored the district’s reputation for ingenuity.

Jongmyo Shrine, located nearby, tells another part of the story. It was designated in 1995 as one of Korea’s first Unesco World Heritage sites, together with the Tripitaka Koreana and Seokguram. Old articles from the JoongAng Ilbo reveal how proud Koreans were at the time. China joined the Unesco Convention in 1985 and already had 14 listings, including the Great Wall. Japan joined in 1992 and had five, including Horyuji. Korea, which joined in 1988, had finally secured its first three.

It is regrettable that two meaningful sites — Sewoon Arcade and Jongmyo Shrine — have lately become fodder for political confrontation. Late last month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government increased the floor area ratio and other allowances for Sewoon District 4, a 10,000-pyeong (355,800 square feet) are directly facing Jongmyo Shrine, paving the way for high-rise redevelopment. The Cultural Heritage Administration immediately issued a statement of “deep regret,” which was understandable. On Nov. 7, Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young visited Jongmyo Shrine with the Cultural Heritage Administration head Huh Min and pledged to use “every possible measure” to protect the shrine. On Nov. 10, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also visited Jongmyo Shrine and criticized Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, even invoking the Han River bus issue.

No one disputes the imperative of protecting Korea’s cultural heritage. Yet, few believe that the coordinated responses from the prime minister and others are purely principled objections. The result is a divided public, each side tightening around its respective camp. In the meantime, a two-year-old YouTube episode by architect Yoo Hyun-joon on Sewoon Arcade’s potential demolition — titled “The Store You Must Not Touch in Korea” — has resurfaced and is drawing new attention. He argued that the remodeling project during the late mayor Park Won-soon's administration should never have been done, that all architecture is political, and that it would be difficult to demolish a building designed by Kim Swoo-geun while his students are still active. The video has drawn 1.48 million views and 1,300 comments. Among the 69 comments added after the recent controversy, 50 support demolition, six oppose it, and 13 express mixed or neutral views. Asked about his current position, Yoo replied simply that he would offer “no comment” on political matters.

Responsibility rarely lies with only one side. The Seoul city government’s handling of the issue also invites criticism. It was reasonable to continue negotiations with the Cultural Heritage Administration over the floor area ratio for District 4, but when no concession emerged, the city abruptly announced its redevelopment plan late last month. Did it anticipate the government’s immediate anger? Election campaigns often speak of an “incumbent’s advantage,” and from Mayor Oh’s perspective a larger conflict may not be entirely unwelcome.

The question of whether to permit high-rise development or preserve Jongmyo’s surroundings and maintain Sewoon Arcade leaves independent voters in a difficult place. Kim Kyung-min, professor of urban planning at Seoul National University, has been unusually visible. Although he identifies as politically unaffiliated and criticized the government’s Oct. 15 housing measures on his YouTube channel, he accompanied the prime minister on his visit to Jongmyo Shrine on Nov. 10. On SBS’s “News Hunters,” he debated Seoul Deputy Mayor Kim Byung-min and presented a pointed critique of the city’s plan. The city’s move to raise the floor area ratio for District 4 from 660 percent to 1,008 percent amounts to preferential treatment, the professor argued, and the cost of creating a park after demolishing Sewoon Arcade should be covered through a legalized floor area ratio trading system that restricts density around Jongmyo Shrine while allowing it elsewhere.

A rendered image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government shows how skyscrapers built in Sewoon District No. 4 under the city’s relaxed height restrictions would appear from the main hall of Jongmyo Shrine. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Seoul officials counter that the trading system faces a lukewarm response from the Ministry of Land and would take years to legislate. In the meantime, they argue, the current 700 billion won ($476.6 million) burden on the Seoul Housing Corporation and the additional costs for landowners in District 4 would only increase.

On the core point of contention — the proposed maximum building height of 141.9 meters (465.6 feet) that critics say would disrupt Jongmyo’s sight line — city officials have recently said they are open to discussion. The odds of change appear slim, but political conflict, once ignited, can only be resolved through politics. Even in the often dispiriting landscape of American politics, odd moments occur: President Donald Trump recently met New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim. Our own prime minister and mayor should meet as well.

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.