[Subs 夜] Crisis of cancellation of registration of 'Gal' as a World Cultural Heritage... Controversy over apartment demolition near Jangneung in Gimpo, who is responsible?

Who is responsible for the controversy over the demolition of apartments near Jangneung in Gimpo?

In the SBS 'I want to know' broadcast on the 15th, the subtitle 'The King and I - Who designed the bizarre deathmatch?' shed light on the controversy surrounding the demolition of apartments near Jangneung in Gimpo.

Recently, an apartment complex in Geomdan New Town has been demolished because it harms the scenery of Jangneung in Gimpo. Near the apartment is the Gimpo Jangneung, where Injo's father Wonjong and his wife, Queen Inheon, are buried. And this Jangneung is one of the 40 royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty that were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

However, the Cultural Heritage Administration said that the apartment in question had to be approved by the Cultural Heritage Administration before construction but did not comply with it. Accordingly, a petition was filed on the Blue House National Petition website that this apartment, which harms the landscape of the world heritage site, should be demolished. And this petition got more than 200,000 support in one month, and the prospective tenants of the apartment were trembling with anxiety day and night without being able to sleep.

Among the apartments being built by the three construction companies, a total of 19 buildings are located within the Jangneung protected area according to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Jangneung could be seen at a glance from the roof of the dong. A situation that became problematic as the construction of the apartment was nearing completion. Why didn't this quickly become a problem?

Experts were concerned that if the registration of the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty was canceled, the loss would be worth at least 3-4 billion won per year. Accordingly, the Cultural Heritage Administration proposed to the construction company to adjust the number of floors. However, the prospective tenants could not hide their uneasy feelings. But construction experts say it's not impossible. However, they agreed that it would be difficult to meet the move-in in July.

Residents who were in a crisis where their daily lives would collapse were confused as to how the situation would be resolved. However, the Cultural Heritage Administration said that it will do its best to protect cultural assets by following the laws and principles.

However, now the court has permitted the resumption of construction. The construction companies complained that it was not an unauthorized building. That the new city project procedures were followed and construction started legally.

The construction company purchased the land in 2017 after the announcement of the Geomdan new town plan, and after approval of the housing project in 2019, construction and sale proceeded, and construction began according to the procedure. However, in 2021, nearing completion, the Cultural Heritage Administration received an order to suspend the construction. That the permission to change the cultural property status was not obtained. A procedure in which a change in the status of cultural properties is confirmed in advance for the impact it will have on the preservation of cultural properties.

But the builder said it had something to say about it. The land in question was the land for which the developer received permission to change the status of cultural properties in 2014. And since I bought it after that, there is no problem.

In response, the Cultural Heritage Administration argued that in January 2017, the standards for permitting construction activities around cultural assets were changed, and buildings taller than 20 meters were subject to individual deliberation by the Cultural Heritage Administration, but were not permitted. However, the construction company said that the strengthened Cultural Heritage Protection Act did not apply in the process of purchasing the land and constructing the building.

The Incheon local government claimed that the Cultural Heritage Administration did not inform about the changed protection law. However, the Cultural Heritage Administration revealed that it is something that can be known by just opening the official gazette, and that it has delivered an official document to Gimpo City Hall.

The director of Urban Housing at Seo-gu Office, Incheon, said, "I do not think there is a need for individual deliberation by the construction company based on the strengthened standards because it is unreasonable to retroactively apply the strengthened standards to the site for which the status change permit (2014) has been obtained according to the opinions of the Cultural Heritage Administration." He said that even if he received an official notice from the Cultural Heritage Administration, nothing would have changed.

Experts speculated that the court's decision will depend on what the purpose of the 2014 cultural property change permit is interpreted. In addition, it was agreed that the complacency of the related organizations increased work.

The prospective occupants of the apartment pointed out the high-rise buildings that had already been built in Geomdan New Town behind the apartment. It is questionable whether it will not harm the surrounding scenery by just removing the apartment. However, the buildings behind the apartment were not subject to demolition. Buildings located more than 500 meters away from cultural assets are not subject to regulation even if they cover the scenery of Jangneung.

Experts worried about the 39-story residential-commercial complex to be built soon, saying that even if the apartment was demolished, Gyeyangsan could not be seen.

The Cultural Heritage Administration did not take a special position on this.

In addition, a UNESCO official said, "If there is anything that could threaten the status of the World Heritage Site of the royal tombs of Joseon, we will deal with it according to the procedures."

On the other hand, experts have raised their voices that it is necessary to properly preserve and manage the device after it has been registered as a World Heritage Site.

In particular, the Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany, which was in a similar situation to the Jangneung and was canceled as a World Heritage Site.

The officials said that development and conservation are difficult, and no matter what the outcome of this problem may be, they advised that attempts and procedures for social communication should not be abandoned. 

(SBS Entertainment News Editor Kim Hyo-jung)