How many Seoul housing improvement projects were canceled during Park Won-soon’s mayoral tenure?

The Seoul city report said 389 of the 683 areas designated for city improvement projects were canceled between 2012 and 2020, when Park Won-soon was mayor. The cancellations eliminated the opportunity to supply roughly 430,000 homes.

Why did Seoul blame Park Won-soon’s policies for weakening long-term housing supply?

The city said Park prioritized urban regeneration that emphasized preservation over large-scale redevelopment and reconstruction. According to the report, this approach coincided with the cancellation of hundreds of improvement-project areas and reduced opportunities for future housing construction.

What is Oh Se-hoon’s plan to address Seoul’s housing shortage?

Oh Se-hoon’s administration plans to break ground on about 310,000 housing units by 2031 through redevelopment and reconstruction projects. The plan is intended to respond to shortages that have contributed to sharply rising home prices.

Seoul city blames ex-mayor's policies for weak long-term housing supply

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Summary

The Seoul city government blamed policies pursued under late former Mayor Park Won-soon for weakening the foundation for long-term housing supply in Seoul on Friday. A city report said 389 of 683 improvement-project areas were canceled between 2012 and 2020, eliminating the opportunity to supply roughly 430,000 homes. Current Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s administration plans to break ground on about 310,000 housing units by 2031 through redevelopment and reconstruction.

Key Facts

The report analyzed Seoul’s housing policies over the past 20 years as recent shortages contributed to sharply rising home prices.
Park Won-soon prioritized urban regeneration focused on preservation rather than large-scale redevelopment or reconstruction.
Park served as Seoul mayor from 2012 to 2020 and was a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
Oh Se-hoon’s private-led housing supply policy has faced criticism from Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers.
The planned 310,000 housing units are intended to respond to the capital’s housing shortage.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 16, 2026 11:09 am KST

Apartments complexes in Seoul, Oct. 4 / Yonhap

The Seoul city government on Friday blamed policies pursued under late former Mayor Park Won-soon for weakening the foundation for long-term housing supply in the capital.

The municipality made the assessment in a report analyzing the city's housing policies over the past 20 years, as recent shortages in the capital have contributed to sharply rising home prices.

The report said that between 2012 and 2020, while the late Park served as mayor, 389 of the 683 areas designated for city improvement projects were canceled, eliminating the opportunity to supply roughly 430,000 homes.

Park, who was a member of the now ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), prioritized "urban regeneration" projects that focused on preservation over large-scale redevelopment or reconstruction.

The report comes as current Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party has faced criticism from DPK lawmakers over his private-led housing supply policy.

The city government under Oh plans to break ground on about 310,000 housing units by 2031 through redevelopment and reconstruction projects to respond to the housing shortage.

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