Bucheon City has announced a comprehensive urban development strategy designed to reshape its urban landscape, establish core growth hubs, and ensure balanced growth across both new and established neighborhoods.

During a municipal briefing on November 3, City Urban Bureau Director Kim Woo-yong outlined key urban development initiatives, centering on three major pillars: a sports and performance dome stadium, an AI-driven compact city, and large-scale housing supply projects.

1. Bucheon Stadium Area: Targeting a Mid-Sized Dome Stadium and 'White Zone' Innovation

Bucheon is revamping the station-area urban development strategy for its 490,828-square-meter district around Bucheon Stadium in Chunui-dong, Wonmi-gu.

Following a mid-to-long-term strategic study launched in December of last year, the city is preparing a proposal for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's upcoming competition to host a mid-sized dome stadium with a capacity of around 30,000 seats. The national project aims to select candidates for large-scale (40,000+ seats) and mid-sized domes by 2034.

Bucheon formed a dedicated task force last September and plans to submit its provincial bid proposal this month, leveraging its 5-way transit interchange and major international cultural festivals as competitive advantages. In 2027, the city aims to negotiate development plan revisions with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and submit agenda items to the Central Urban Planning Committee.

Additionally, the city is reviewing a Urban Innovation Zone designation—Korea's version of a "White Zone." This regulatory framework bypasses standard zoning rules regarding building usage and floor area ratios, facilitating mixed-use development that combines sports, culture, and commerce. The city targets zone designation by 2028, with full-scale construction beginning in 2029.

Residential development is also underway: construction for 843 units in blocks A1 and A2 began last July, with resident move-ins scheduled for late 2028.

2. Sangdong Video Culture Complex: Transforming into an AI and Content Compact City

Bucheon is pushing forward with the Sangdong Special Planning District complex development project, spanning 383,151 square meters in Sangdong 529-2, Wonmi-gu. Backed by a total project budget of KRW 6.93 trillion, the initiative aims to create a "compact city" fusing artificial intelligence (AI) and content industries with residential, commercial, and business infrastructure.

The blueprint features a convergence center and a landmark tower, flanked by residential spaces connected directly to commercial and business facilities. Essential infrastructure, including roads, cultural parks, and local welfare facilities (life SOC), will also be expanded.

Having formulated a development plan through an expert-led task force to align with shifting government policies, the city is currently negotiating detailed business plans with private developers.

The revised business plan and a public briefing are scheduled for this month, followed by a formal designation of the urban management plan change in December. The city aims to sign land purchase contracts in the first half of 2027, secure architectural permits, break ground in the first half of 2028, and complete the project by the second half of 2032.

3. Housing Supply of 32,000 Units and Renewal of Older Neighborhoods

By 2032, Bucheon will supply a total of roughly 32,000 housing units across five major regions, including the Daejang and Yeokgok public housing districts, the former Ojeong military base site, and the Seonggol and Daejang-andongne districts.

The Daejang and Yeokgok districts will account for 20,318 and 5,632 units respectively, totaling 25,950 homes alongside corporate attraction, transit upgrades, and community infrastructure. In 2027, the city plans to offer pre-sales for 3,555 total units (1,522 in Daejang and 2,033 in Yeokgok across public and private offerings), with initial resident move-ins in Daejang commencing in November 2027, followed by Yeokgok in June 2029.

Meanwhile, a 445,311-square-meter residential complex will be developed on the former Ojeong military base site and surrounding areas to house 3,995 households. Pre-sales are slated for the second half of 2027, with land compensation wrapping up by year's end and urban development completion targeted for 2030.

The city is also restructuring two deregulated greenbelt villages using a land readjustment method to ensure original residents can successfully resettle:

Seonggol District (Yeowol-dong): Comprising 805 units, current buildings are being demolished, and complex construction is set to wrap up by May 2028.
Daejang-andongne District (Daejang-dong): Featuring 1,612 units, it will undergo urban development zone designation in December, with construction starting in June 2029 under the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH).

"We will pool our administrative capabilities to ensure these projects proceed without a hitch, building a model of urban development where new and old neighborhoods, as well as generations, grow and thrive together," said Kim Woo-yong, Director of the Bucheon City Urban Bureau. "We will achieve balanced development that leaves no area behind, creating a pleasant urban environment that citizens can truly experience in their daily lives."

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]