In 2021, the Seoul Metropolitan Government enacted the “Ordinance on the Operation of the Integrated Building and Housing Information System,” marking the first local legislative basisin South Korea for the development of a Basic Plan for Building and Housing Informatization. This study was conducted as preliminary research to support the formal establishment of the plan, with the primary aim of promoting digital transformation in the building and housing sectors and building a strategic digital platformthat supports policymaking, administrative innovation, and industry development.
Currently, systems such as “Seumter” (for permitting and administrative data) and “VWorld” or “S-Map” (for 3D geospatial data and simulations) operate independently, causing inefficiencies in urban planning and administrative decision-making. This study highlights the urgent need to technically integrate building information with 3D geospatial systemsand recommends corresponding institutional reforms. Real-time permitting reviews, automated architectural deliberations, and urban simulations become feasible when such open platforms are interconnected.
The study further outlines the necessity for a data governance frameworkto structure and consolidate over 1,000 distinct data items managed by various departments under Seoul's Housing Division. It also proposes a cloud-based information system, open data initiatives, and public-private collaboration to foster an innovation-driven digital ecosystem. The envisioned platform would support five core policy domains—housing supply, building safety, redevelopment, post-management, and residential welfare—and be embedded across all policy and administrative processes.
Seoul’s strategy prioritizes digital architectural design environments, data-driven decision-making, standardized and open data, and analytical models based on 3D digital twins. Beyond administrative modernization, the Basic Plan is redefined as a comprehensive strategy to promote evidence-based policymaking and digital industrial innovation. Achieving this will require a full revision of the relevant ordinance and robust legal and institutional support to ensure successful implementation.