Mayor Choi Ki-chan of Geumcheon-gu Reaffirms Commitment to Reflect Residents' Opinions in Data Center Permit Approvals

Doksan-dong Data Center Community Meeting Preliminary Review and Institutional Reforms in Parallel Geumcheon-gu in Seoul, led by District Mayor Choi Ki-chan, has reiterated its policy to reflect the opinions of nearby residents when reviewing permit applications for data center construction. On September 3, District Mayor Choi Ki-chan held a community communication meeting regarding the Doksan-dong data center at the main auditorium on the 12th floor of the district office, where he discussed residents' concerns over the construction of data centers near residential areas, solutions to address these concerns, and the direction of institutional improvements. At the event, Mayor Choi stated, 'Regarding the recently submitted data center building permit applications for the areas of 151-5 and 151-16·17 Doksan-dong, we plan to carefully review the opinions of the local residents as well.' On the 3rd, the onsite community communication meeting regarding the Doksan-dong data center. Provided by Geumcheon-gu. View original image Upon taking office on July 1, Mayor Choi established, as his first official action, a policy for the 'Establishment of a Resident-Participatory Data Center Review System and Institutional Improvements,' and announced that submitting resident opinions would be mandatory for residents living near data centers for which building permits are filed. He subsequently expressed support for related institutional improvement proposals regarding data center construction, which were submitted to the Seoul Autonomous District Mayors' Association. The district has created a dedicated data center task force (TF) under the deputy mayor to handle related issues. Requests have been made to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to amend the Building Act so as to restrict the location of data centers in residential areas, and to the Seoul Metropolitan Government to amend the Seoul City Urban Planning Ordinance for the same purpose. Until institutional improvements are realized, the district is conducting preliminary reviews within the current system. The district plans to verify concerns about potential environmental hazards from data center construction—such as electromagnetic fields, noise, and the heat island effect—and to keep residents informed of progress. For this purpose, it has prepared a 'Data Center Building Checklist' comprising 47 items across five areas: architectural plans, environmental impact, pollution, fire prevention, and facility safety. A panel of 12 experts—specializing in disaster prevention, mechanical equipment, noise and vibration, electromagnetic fields, and the environment—has also been organized. If necessary, experts recommended by residents may participate as well. Since his tenure as a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, Mayor Choi has worked on improving related policies. In April of this year, he sponsored a partial amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Urban Planning Ordinance that would exclude data centers from the category of broadcasting and telecommunication facilities permitted in Category 2 and 3 general residential areas. He also submitted a proposal urging an amendment to the Building Act, requiring review by the Building Committee to determine whether or not a permit should be granted for data center construction. Mayor Choi said, 'To resolve local residents' concerns and conflicts arising from data center construction, it is necessary to go beyond ad hoc responses and establish an institutional foundation. I will take the initiative on institutional reform and do my utmost administratively to protect residents' safety and pleasant living environments.' This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services. © The Asia Business Daily. All rights reserved. Unauthorized AI training and use prohibited.