Sibeom Apartments / Yonhap

The Seoul city government has approved the reconstruction of the oldest apartment complex in the city's Yeouido district to turn it into a high-rise complex that houses 2,500 households and includes a 65-story building, officials said Monday.

The city said a reconstruction plan has been granted for Sibeom Apartments, a 24-building complex currently housing 1,584 households, built in Yeouido in 1971.

Under the plan, the complex will be rebuilt into a block of high-rise apartment buildings as tall as 65 stories and enough to house 2,500 households to become the tallest reconstructed apartment complex in central Seoul.

The new complex will also be equipped with a variety of facilities for culture, exhibition, commercial and other services on top of many different types of housing, according to the Seoul officials.

Located near the Han River, the apartment complex will also be fitted with a special sunset observatory deck, a riverside park and a bridge that connects the park with the Han River as part of a joint project with the city government.

The city officials said the area of the Sibeom Apartments is expected to be officially designated as "an urban redevelopment zone" in the first half of 2023 in order for the reconstruction work to begin. (Yonhap)