An empty hallway at a high school in nothern Seoul on May 11, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 18 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of abandoned schools is increasing even in the capital city of Seoul due to the declining school-age population, but renovating such facilities proves to be more challenging compared to other buildings.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, there are currently three unused abandoned schools in the city. These schools have not been sold or repurposed despite their closure.
The education office faces difficulty in selling the buildings or completely rebuilding them due to a city urban planning ordinance.
This ordinance imposes restrictions on the floor area ratio and building-to-land ratio for ten years following the closure of a school. Its purpose is to ensure the use of the sites as public spaces for the local community.
Another factor that hinders the development process is the higher land prices in Seoul, which surpass those in other regions.
Furthermore, unifying the demand for utilizing the core sites where abandoned schools are located poses a challenge.
In Seoul alone, three high schools are scheduled for closure early next year.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
