The Seoul Metropolitan Government has stepped in to address growing concerns over discrimination against public rental housing residents after floor plans revealing the locations of rental units in a Gangnam redevelopment apartment complex spread online.
On Thursday, the city sent official notices to housing and construction associations and organizations, urging them to exercise extra caution in preventing the external disclosure of sensitive information such as building and unit numbers of rental housing. The notices also requested that member companies remove any information distinguishing rental units that may already appear on sales websites or promotional materials.
"Recent media reports have highlighted cases where public rental housing unit information—determined by public lottery under relevant laws and included in redevelopment project disposal plans—was exposed externally, providing grounds for discrimination," the city stated in the notice. "We ask that you advise member companies to take precautions against the disclosure of specific information such as building and unit numbers, and to delete any rental unit location information currently displayed on sales websites."
Since 2021, Seoul has mandated "social mix" policies requiring redevelopment and reconstruction projects to integrate rental and for-sale units within the same buildings. The policy was designed to eliminate discrimination that had become entrenched through practices such as designating separate buildings for rental residents or restricting their access to community facilities.
However, conflicts continue to emerge on the ground. Recently, controversy intensified when a unit allocation chart for the Jamsil Ruel complex in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, rapidly circulated through online communities and KakaoTalk group chats.
While the disclosure of allocation charts is not legally prohibited, it triggered a wave of online posts stating things like "this building has many rental units" and "placing rental units on high floors is deception against residents who paid market prices." This created an atmosphere where stigmatization and mockery of rental households became commonplace even before move-in began.
Similar conflicts have occurred at other reconstruction sites. In May, the allocation of rental units with Han River views at the Jamsil Jugong 5 Complex reconstruction project came under scrutiny. The city's Integrated Review Committee for Redevelopment Projects placed the review on hold, ruling that the plan "does not comply with social mix principles," blocking the association's attempt to concentrate rental units in lower floors and less desirable buildings. Although the allocation plan was subsequently revised, some union members continued to protest what they called "excessive infringement on property rights."
The Hangang Mansion reconstruction in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, presents another similar case. The union chairman had promised "Han River views for all union members," but during the review process, 16 units of 59 square meters designated for donation to the Seoul government were placed along the riverfront line, sparking allocation disputes among members. The chairman was ultimately dismissed, and those units are slated to be used as public rental housing.
