South Korea’s highest court upheld a municipal ordinance easing building restrictions near heritage sites. This is a victory for Seoul’s incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Places like the Jongmyo Shrine are at risk. According to the UN body, "uncontrolled vertical development" can have negative impacts.

Seoul (AsiaNews) – In a decision with far-reaching implications for urban development and cultural conservation, South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a Seoul municipal ordinance easing building restrictions near UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Jongmyo Shrine.

The ruling strengthens cities' right to shape urban planning, in the capital and elsewhere, and limits the scope of national heritage authorities. This is raising concerns about the future of South Korea's most precious sites and cultural heritage.

For Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is expected to run again in next year's local elections, this is a major victory.

On Thursday, the Court upheld a revised municipal ordinance, passed two years ago, that allows the construction of taller buildings in areas outside the 100-metre preservation zone designated for national heritage sites.

This means, The Korea Times explains, that city authorities "do not need approval" from the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), a central government agency, for urban development, as long as they do so "outside the buffer zones.”

With this ruling, the long-delayed redevelopment of Sewoon District 4 can now proceed, which includes plans for skyscrapers up to 142 metres tall, which will profoundly alter Seoul's downtown skyline.

Initiated by the mayor in his first term in 2006, the project lost momentum due to the collapse of the real estate market after the global financial crisis and during the tenure of Oh's liberal successor, Park Won-soon, an environmentalist sceptical of development.

After Park's death, Oh was elected mayor again.

Politically, the Court’s decision is considered a real stroke of luck for the incumbent mayor, who wants to showcase economic development as one of his key achievements before the next election.

For that project and others, he will have more autonomy to plan and potentially build housing and commercial properties he needs to boost his re-election chances and win the 1 June 2026 mayoral election.

With the legal precedent now established, future development projects near national heritage sites will face fewer obstacles.

This is expected to trigger a wave of development applications, especially in high-value areas of major cities and urban areas, like the capital, with its royal tombs and palaces.

However, this momentum carries risks for national heritage and the environment.

KHS Administrator Huh Min and South Korean Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young held a press conference yesterday at the Jongmyo Shrine. The two senior officials stated that a nearby construction project poses a "grave threat" to the site.

“Buildings to be constructed in front of Jongmyo, like Jongno Tower, will directly endanger the historic cultural landscape and the comprehensive value that Joseon royal heritage sites in Seoul have preserved for many centuries,” Huh explained.

In his address, Chae promised to do everything possible to block the development plan.

These strong reactions come amid concerns that UNESCO might downgrade the cultural heritage status of Jongmyo Shrine due to changes taking place in the surrounding area.

In a letter sent to Seoul’s city government earlier this year, the UN agency warned that "uncontrolled vertical development" near the shrine could negatively impact its World Heritage status.

Under the World Heritage Convention, UNESCO can revoke World Heritage status if a site no longer meets the criteria for which it was originally inscribed.

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• seoul
• jongmyo shrine
• cultural heritage
• unesco
• court
• judges
• skyline
• urbanisation