오세훈 “‘500세대 이하 정비권한 구청 이양’, 쪼개기·난개발 부작용”

Seoul's Mayor Oh Se-hoon has vehemently opposed the proposal to shift control of building permit authority to smaller administrative districts, claiming it is driven by political motives rather than practical concerns. At a recent Seoul City Council meeting, Oh stated that "real-world outcomes are unknown to politicians wielding such power."

He explained that concentrating building permit authority in Seoul City could lead to congestion, and that the claim that a decision in 30 days would prevent congestion is "irrelevant." Oh emphasized that "the expertise and experience of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's building permit professionals is lacking," and that it wouldn't be feasible to apply standardized criteria across different districts.

He argued that "larger-scale urban planning like that of a New Town is more efficient, as schools and convenience stores can be appropriately distributed within a larger area." Oh questioned how 25 district mayors could reasonably reconcile differing interests and make balanced decisions. He also cautioned that shifting building permit authority to districts could slow down the pace of redevelopment projects.

Oh cited a professor's Facebook post criticizing the move, stating that "jumping on the political bandwagon without considering the experts' viewpoints would be a regrettable mistake." He reiterated that easing regulations, such as limiting the tenure of council members and relaxing zoning ratios, would be necessary to boost building permit activity.

Meanwhile, a member of the Democratic Party expressed support for shifting building permit authority to basic municipal planning guidelines, asserting that "expansion should not lead to 'dilution.'" Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-gyun also addressed the concerns over potential adverse effects during a roundtable with Democratic Party officials and district officials.