From Housing for the Poor to a Middle-Class Complex

The Mokdong New Town development, planned in 1980, was meant to provide mass housing for low-income residents — but the purpose shifted to upscale middle-class apartments to help fund the Olympics.

Key takeaways

In 1980, the city of Seoul drew up a New Town development plan for the Mokdong and Sinjeong-dong areas of what was then Gangseo-gu (now Yangcheon-gu). Fact Leading architects and urban planners of the era — including the prominent architect Kim Swoo-geun, along with Kang Byung-ki and Kim Hyeong-man — took part in the plan. Fact Residents moved into Complexes 1 through 14 between November 1985 and October 1988. Fact

This redevelopment was originally meant to provide mass housing for low-income residents, but the purpose was changed to build upscale apartments for the middle class, in order to help fund the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Fact

What to look for on site

The planned layout of the New Town, divided into Complexes 1 through 14
The complex designs shaped by the urban planners of that era
Traces of the policy shift from low-income housing to a middle-class complex (see reference materials)

Editorial note

It's inaccurate to say "Mokdong was a planned city built for the middle class from the start." Make clear that the original intent and the actual outcome differed.