In a call with far-reaching implications for city improvement and cultural preservation, the Supreme Courtroom has upheld a Seoul metropolis ordinance stress-free improvement restrictions close to UNESCO World Heritage websites such because the Jongmyo Shrine.
The ruling strengthens cities’ proper to form city planning ― in Seoul and past ― and limits the attain of nationwide heritage authorities whereas triggering considerations over the way forward for Korea’s most treasured websites and its cultural legacy. For Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is predicted to hunt one other time period in subsequent yr’s native election, it’s a main political win.
On Thursday, the courtroom validated a revised metropolis ordinance, handed two years in the past, which allows taller building in areas exterior the 100-meter preservation zone designated for nationwide heritage websites. Which means metropolis authorities don’t want approval from the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), a central authorities entity, for city improvement so long as they achieve this exterior the buffer zones.
With the ruling, the long-delayed redevelopment of “Sewoon District 4” now can proceed. The renewal consists of plans for skyscrapers as tall as 142 meters, which is able to profoundly alter the skyline of central Seoul. Initiated by the mayor throughout his first time period in 2006, the venture misplaced momentum amid an actual property hunch after the worldwide monetary disaster and in the course of the tenure of Oh’s liberal successor, Park Gained-soon, an environmentalist skeptical of land improvement. Oh later returned to the mayoral position after Park’s demise.
Following the courtroom ruling, the Seoul Metropolitan Authorities welcomed the choice and vowed to push the venture ahead.
“The redevelopment venture for Sewoon District 4, which had been stalled for over 20 years, can now lastly transfer ahead,” the town authorities mentioned in an announcement. “We’ll do our greatest to protect the historic worth of cultural heritage whereas concurrently revitalizing Seoul and making certain its future competitiveness.”
Politically, the choice is fortuitous for Oh, who needs to showcase financial improvement as one among his core achievements. For that venture and others, he can have extra autonomy to plan and probably ship much-needed housing and different industrial properties he would wish to profit his reelection marketing campaign and win the June 1 native elections.
“The realm round Jongmyo, together with Sewoon District, has lengthy been left uncared for and is, fairly frankly, little greater than a break regardless of being on the heart of Seoul,” the mayor mentioned on Friday. “Now’s the time to each protect and additional improve the worth of Jongmyo, in search of a brand new transformation the place historical past and the long run can coexist.”
With the authorized precedent now set, future improvement tasks close to nationwide heritage websites will face fewer obstacles from heritage directors. That is anticipated to set off a wave of improvement functions, particularly in high-value areas of massive cities like Seoul, similar to royal tombs and palaces.
But, this momentum comes with dangers for nationwide heritage and the setting.
Huh Min, chief of the Korea Heritage Service, speaks to reporters on the Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, Friday. Newsis
Huh Min, chief of the KHS, and Tradition Minister Chae Hwi-young held a press convention on Friday on the Jongmyo Shrine web site, the place they mentioned a building venture close by poses a “grave menace” to its worth.
“Buildings to be constructed in entrance of Jongmyo, like Jongno Tower, will straight endanger the historic cultural panorama and the great worth that Joseon royal heritage websites in Seoul have preserved for a lot of centuries,” Huh mentioned. “We, below the authority given by the central authorities, will discover all doable means, together with amendments to the World Heritage Act, to safeguard Jongmyo’s World Heritage standing and to make sure its worth is absolutely preserved and handed all the way down to future generations.”
Chae additionally vowed to do every part in his energy to dam the event plan.
These sturdy reactions come amid worries that UNESCO might downgrade Jongmyo Shrine’s heritage standing resulting from surrounding adjustments. In a letter despatched to the Seoul metropolis authorities earlier this yr, the U.N. company warned that “uncontrolled vertical improvement” close to the shrine might negatively have an effect on its World Heritage standing.
Beneath the World Heritage Conference, UNESCO can revoke World Heritage standing if a web site now not meets the factors for which it was initially inscribed. One of the vital well-known such instances was Germany’s Dresden Elbe Valley, which misplaced its World Heritage standing in 2009 resulting from a bridge that was constructed “within the coronary heart of the cultural panorama,” in keeping with UNESCO.
UNESCO didn’t reply to inquiries from The Korea Occasions relating to the courtroom ruling and its doable affect on Jongmyo’s standing as a World Heritage property.
