Prime Minister Han proposes 'housing-school complex development' to capital-region superintendents; homes and SOC to be built on school sites

[Financial News] Prime Minister Han Seong-suk met with superintendents from the capital region on the 11th to discuss introducing what is known as 'housing-school complex development'—the integrated development of school sites, including those of closed schools, for public housing and social infrastructure (SOC).
Prime Minister Han held a dinner meeting that afternoon at the prime minister's residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, attended by Seoul Superintendent of Education Geun-sik Chung, Incheon Superintendent of Education Do Seong-hun, Gyeonggi Superintendent of Education An Min-seok, Vice Minister of Education CHOI, Eun-ok and First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yi-tak, among others.
The meeting was arranged as the government explored various ways to supply housing following its August 13 Rapid Housing Supply Plan. In particular, it serves as a follow-up measure aimed at extending the approach across the capital region, using as a model the former Gonghang High School site in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, which Prime Minister Han visited for an on-site inspection on the 22nd of last month. Plans are underway there to build 270 public housing units and a multipurpose sports facility.

In her opening remarks, Prime Minister Han stressed, "Because it is not easy to secure sites for new housing supply in the capital region, we need to make efficient use of school sites in urban areas where community infrastructure is already in place."
She added, "Although it is still unfamiliar in our country, discussions on housing-school complex development are active overseas, particularly in densely populated urban areas," and proposed a new approach that would modernize aging schools and supply housing at the same time. At a closed-door discussion that day, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport presented successful multi-level housing-school complex projects in the United Kingdom, Japan and the Netherlands, emphasizing that this approach could be an excellent alternative for schools at risk of consolidation due to declining student populations, as well as urban areas where it is difficult to secure sites.

The superintendents who attended the meeting called for carefully tailored policies that take account of the distinctive needs of each region, as well as cooperation among government ministries.
Seoul Superintendent of Education Geun-sik Chung stressed the need for close cooperation among relevant ministries on the development projects. Gyeonggi Superintendent of Education An Min-seok underscored the importance of installing community infrastructure that residents actually want, such as swimming pools in the complexes. Incheon Superintendent of Education Do Seong-hun said that building integrated infrastructure reflecting the characteristics of each region and school was necessary to ease overcrowding in new-town classrooms and narrow the educational gap with older urban areas.
Prime Minister Han asked the superintendents to actively identify school sites that could be put to use, such as closed-school sites within their jurisdictions. She also instructed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Education to swiftly prepare institutional and administrative support, including amendments to relevant laws, and to resolve difficulties encountered in carrying out the projects.


[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter