The preservation debate, sparked in January 2019 against the backdrop of Euljiro and Se-woon District in Seoul, temporarily halted the redevelopment plan that has been under way for more than three decades. At the center of the preservation debate spa...
The preservation debate, sparked in January 2019 against the backdrop of Euljiro and Se-woon District in Seoul, temporarily halted the redevelopment plan that has been under way for more than three decades. At the center of the preservation debate sparked by this area are Se-woon Sangga, downtown manufacturing, old urban structures and living heritage. They were not considered ‘heritage’ in the existing discussions and were in areas that could not be legally protected. The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which advocates "historical city" and "urban regeneration," is drawing up alternatives at various levels, along with reflecting on redevelopment projects. So far, plans around Se-woon district have gradually changed in a way that reflects the preservation debate. However, there were trial and error in the process, and the demolition of some areas led to a temporary suspension of the project. Therefore, it is very necessary at this point to grasp what the debate on preservation has been about, in what context, and how such discussions have been reflected in the plan.
In this study, the focus is on the process of forming preservation discussions on things that are considered socially valuable in the process of redevelopment projects around Se-woon district.
Prior to the redevelopment plan, the government had implemented a strong relocation policy for ‘regulation of population in the metropolitan area’. In 2009, the government covered development projects with the concept of conservation of ecology and history. In this context, preservation was mostly carried out in the form of screening and marking of targets. Here preservation discussions were presented by experts who mainly deliberated and consulted and were reflected in the plan. The next reason for the cancellation of the redevelopment plan in 2009 was the biggest difference in opinions among public organizations (Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Cultural Heritage Administration) and residents (Sewoon Sangga County and its surrounding departments). As a result, the project was completely scrapped due to conflicts among residents and the rekindling of the preservation debate in Se-woon Sangga.
In the process of changing the redevelopment plan, the main actors were the public and experts. The public used public hearings and other channels to communicate with residents, but were limited to conflicting relationships. In addition, the conservation discussion included in the plan takes a passive approach to urban manufacturing and old urban organizations. The plan, which was aimed at protecting urban industries and slowing down the pace of development, resulted in development in a passive manner. The recent demolition of part of the Se-woon 3rd zone has made conservation discussions a big issue in society, which has led to more diverse actors actively participating in the formation of conservation discussions. It is also working on institutional and non-institutional communication channels in the public and preserving various preservation targets, including manufacturing and living heritage. However, it is still in a confrontational relationship with residents, civic groups and citizens who insist on preserving the area.
Preservation debate is a component of the cultural identity and quality of life of the city. Also, it is the result of social discussion, debate and practice, which in turn define the identity of society. Therefore, this study is meaningful in that it can read the period and values by looking at the flow of conservation discussions from a common perspective. In addition, it attempted to clarify its position on the preservation value of each actor at a time when the public and the subject forming the conservation debate are at odds. This reduces social conflicts over values already agreed upon, and can be used as basic data for social consensus.