Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon answers questions from reporters as he arrives at Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, Wednesday, to attend the continuation of the first-trial hearing on a case concerning opinion polling allegations. Yonhap
Reelected Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's drive to accelerate major redevelopment projects is facing its first major political test, as the incoming chief of Jongno District seeks to suspend approvals for a controversial high-rise development near the UNESCO-listed Jongmyo Shrine.
The Sewoon District 4 redevelopment project would permit the construction of a 142-meter tower opposite the Joseon-era royal shrine, one of Korea's most significant cultural heritage sites.
According to Seoul city officials, the city's architectural committee approved the Sewoon District 4's redevelopment project's building safety impact assessment during a review meeting held on June 5, clearing one of the final procedural hurdles before construction can begin. With the city-level review process now complete, the remaining procedures include approval of the revised project implementation plan by the district office and a review of buried cultural heritage by the National Heritage Committee.
