Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Pitch
The Seoul Metropolitan Government restored dilapidated villages of hanoks, a type of traditional Korean housing, by creating new policies and supporting citizen-led preservation projects.
The Problem
Hanok communities were widely seen as degraded housing areas that needed redevelopment, leading to declining land values.
The Process
- Instituted the Hanok Policy, the Seoul Hanok Declaration and Seoul Hanok Asset Declaration to manage hanoks
- Restored preexisting hanok villages by burying cables, maintaining sewage pipes, paving roads and adding streetlights
- Provided up to $150,000 in subsidies to support utility and infrastructure upgrades for 900 hanoks
- Established the Hanok Material Bank to reuse materials from demolished hanoks
- Constructed a new hanok village in Eunpyeong New Town
- Developed Hanok Village Community Support Projects and built capacity within 12 old and new hanok villages, equipping each with local, community-led (offline) hubs for project support and public policy engagement
- Purchased 34 public hanoks to improve facilities for local residents
The Impact
- Supported 70 projects with up to $12,500 via Hanok Village Community Support Projects until 2020
- Offered 444 in-person consulting meetings, performed 47 small-scale repairs and saw 173 emergency service cases at the Hanok Support Center in Bukchon
- Offers online support to residents via the Seoul Hanok Portal; the site received 180,000 visitors as of 2021
- Improved living conditions and amenities: 80% of hanoks in key hanok management zones are now rated above medium and a 2016 survey revealed that 83.1% of residents preferred hanoks for their comfort, eco-friendliness and traditional elements
- Increased property values and housing growth rates: restored public hanoks were bought for $26 million and are now valued at $71 million and have a higher housing price growth rate than other housing options
- Helped to change public perception of hanoks via new policies: Hanoks are now seen as eco-friendly with ecological architecture rather than dilapidated and dangerous
- Enhanced hanok communities and built new ones, preserving their cultural value
