Overview
- Seoul revised the Sewun 4 District plan to allow towers up to 101 meters facing Jongno and 145 meters by Cheonggye Stream, replacing 2018 caps of 55 and 71.9 meters.
- The Cultural Heritage Committee of the Korea Heritage Service said the revision disregards social consensus and tilts toward development interests.
- The committee stressed that Jongmyo’s 1995 UNESCO inscription requires safeguarding the shrine’s landscape from nearby high-rises that could damage its setting.
- The committee urged the city to carry out a World Heritage Impact Assessment and said it is closely tracking the situation.
- Public criticism has intensified, and an op-ed noted some observers suspect election-related motives for the sudden policy shift.