Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Thursday declared a “paradigm shift” in the city’s housing development strategy, which has seen standardized apartment complexes dominate the city over the past 40 years.

“Seoul City will discontinue its ‘new town projects,’ in which existing buildings are demolished to build new apartment complexes. Instead, we will adopt a new development style that puts more emphasis on preservation,” Oh said in a press conference.

The metropolitan government thus far has developed outdated areas by designating them as “new towns.”

The designations have prompted real estate speculation in the areas while poor tenants lose their homes when construction starts.

Under the new strategy, the city will be divided into five areas and the development work will be carried out considering the characteristics of the individual areas.

Although the ongoing “new town” projects will be completed, longer term small projects rather than large-scale redevelopment will be carried out to meet different needs in the area.

In order to verify the city landscape, low-rise buildings in good condition will be preserved and the neighboring areas will be created as towns with low houses, with some reserved for low-income households.

Considering the future trend of a single-person family, the city will create more small houses in areas near the public transportation system.

“Seoul is facing an important period to avoid excessive construction work while improving the quality of life in the less developed areas,” Oh said.

“The city will be a place where traditional and modern aspects and high- and low-rise buildings coexist.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)