This study aims to redefine the relocation phase—the period spanning from the approval of the project implementation plan to actual demolition in urban
redevelopment projects—as a critical blind spot in disaster prevention. It clarifies the underl...
This study aims to redefine the relocation phase—the period spanning from the approval of the project implementation plan to actual demolition in urban
redevelopment projects—as a critical blind spot in disaster prevention. It clarifies the underlying risk structure of this phase and proposes actionable administrative and legislative management measures. Unlike residential redevelopment, urban redevelopment projects in dense urban centers involve prolonged
relocation periods due to complex, individual negotiations with diverse stakeholders, including landowners, commercial tenants, and residential tenants. Consequently, vacant buildings, closed shops, remaining businesses, illegally dumped waste, and indiscriminately installed temporary facilities coexist for an extended duration. This creates a severe physical and institutional vacuum, leading to the phenomenon of "Disaster-Prevention Hollowing," which significantly elevates the risk of large-scale social disasters.
Based on this problem definition, this study utilizes Heinrich's 3E (Engineering, Education, Enforcement) framework as an analytical tool to systematically
structure the disaster-inducing factors inherent in the relocation phase. Furthermore, focusing on the Sewoon Rejuvenation District as the target area, an empirical analysis was conducted to evaluate the accessibility of medium-sized fire engines. Crucially, this evaluation was based on the "effective passage width" actually secured on-site, rather than the formal road widths indicated on digital maps. The analysis revealed that due to the negligent installation of temporary fences and accumulated waste, multiple critical bottleneck sections existed where the minimum effective width required for firefighting operations was entirely compromised.
To resolve this disaster-prevention hollowing, this study proposes four specific administrative management measures: first, establishing management standards based on field-measured effective passage widths and designating bottleneck sections as high-priority management zones; second, institutionalizing a prior
review process for temporary facilities from a disaster-prevention perspective; third, mandating regular disaster-prevention education for project implementers
and local government officials; and fourth, structuring disaster-prevention agendas as mandatory discussion items within the statutory relocation consultation body. Finally, to ensure the legal enforceability of these alternatives, specific legislative amendments were derived to explicitly state the obligations for social
disaster prevention and disaster-prevention management during the relocation phase within the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Urban and
Residential Environment Improvement.
This study has both academic and practical significance in redefining the relocation phase—traditionally regarded as a mere administrative process of compensation and site clearance—as an independent phase of disaster prevention and management.
Furthermore, it contributes to the field by providing empirical field data that reflects the unique characteristics of dense urban areas alongside viable legislative alternatives.