The government said Thursday it plans to announce new residential land sites capable of supplying a total of 80,000 housing units in the capital region by lifting greenbelt restrictions.

Officials announced the plan after holding a housing supply meeting between government ministries overseeing housing policies.

Initially, the government will announce new residential sites capable of supplying 50,000 housing units, including more than 10,000 units in Seoul. An additional 30,000 units will be announced next year.

In the previous housing supply measure announced in January, the government announced a plan to lift greenbelt restrictions to supply 20,000 housing units in the metropolitan area.

In the latest announcement, the total supply volume has been increased fourfold, while officials also made clear that greenbelt areas to be lifted include sites in and around Seoul.

Greenbelt zones in Seoul have not been lifted on a large scale since the Lee Myung-bak administration lifted part of the previously restr
icted zones in southern Seoul from 2009 to 2012.

Source : Yonhap News Agency