Seoul Metropolitan Government "Considering appeal over gondola... also urges amendment of enforcement decree"

[Financial News]  The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it will consider appealing to the Supreme Court of Korea against a ruling revoking the disposition approving changes to the urban management plan for Namsan Gondola, while urging the government to amend the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Urban Parks, Green Areas, Etc.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued a statement on the 17th and immediately protested, saying, "This is a ruling that leaves in place the private monopoly entrenched over the past 60 years and the serious inconvenience to citizens' mobility." The city also stated, "It is an incomprehensible decision that fails to sufficiently reflect the procedural legitimacy and legal requirements Seoul complied with during the urban management plan decision process," adding, "The decision to change the urban management plan was a lawful administrative measure that met the requirements for changing an urban natural park area."
The city argued that Namsan contains both urban natural park areas and parks designated as urban planning facilities, making integrated management necessary. It explained that if the interpretation that an urban natural park area cannot be changed into a park designated as an urban planning facility becomes firmly established, it could make it difficult to formulate park development plans and disrupt the integrated management of facilities in boundary areas.
The city emphasized that installing the gondola is directly linked to the mobility rights of citizens visiting Namsan. Approximately 12 million people visit Namsan each year, but the existing cable car operator's monopoly has continued for more than 60 years. As a result, visitors must wait more than an hour on weekends and during peak seasons, while people with mobility difficulties struggle to navigate the steep route leading to the summit.
Separately from the appeal, the city also asked the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) to promptly amend the enforcement decree. MOLIT announced a legislative notice in June last year on an amendment easing height restrictions on trackway and disaster prevention facilities within urban natural park areas, but the follow-up procedures have not yet been completed.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government maintains that an amendment to the enforcement decree would provide a legal foundation for pursuing the gondola project regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit.
Kang Seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Balanced Development Headquarters, said, "If the project is halted, not only will it cause economic losses, but we will also lose the opportunity to grow into a global city," adding, "We will carefully consider an appeal to the Supreme Court of Korea and do our utmost to complete the project."

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter