Rebuilding South Korea's first-generation new towns is falling behind the government's target of resident move-ins by 2030, with most pilot districts now preparing for groundbreaking no earlier than 2028. Nine of the 15 pilot districts designated in November 2024 across Bundang, Pyeongchon, Ilsan, Sanbon and Jungdong have completed special redevelopment district designation and appointed project operators, but none has selected a designer or construction contractor. Sanbon's District 9-2 could begin those selections this month, keeping open the possibility of the first groundbreaking next year. Progress is sharply uneven: Bundang and Pyeongchon face annual quotas that are far below demand, while Ilsan and Jungdong have struggled with weak project economics and limited applications. Bundang's second-round applications covered 66,037 units across 50 districts, or 5.5 times its allocation of 12,000 units, while Pyeongchon applications covered 14,102 units against a 7,200-unit allocation. Seongnam has formally asked the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to abolish the annual quotas, arguing that early limits create administrative gridlock without preventing later relocation concentration.