39 billion won in compensation...High-speed rail housing demolished after two years of delay in construction
Sep 16, 2025
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According to Chinese media, including Sohu, a homeowner in Wugang District, Jiangsu Province, China, eventually agreed to demolish it after causing controversy by delaying the construction of a high-speed railway for two years.
The so-called 'Albugi' house was the last obstacle to the 38 billion yuan (about 7.4 trillion won) high-speed rail project.
In 2020, the Chinese government officially launched the construction of a 163.54km long high-speed railway linking Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai.
With most landowners accepting the government's migration compensation plan, only one household refused to move and demanded an astronomical amount.
The homeowner, identified only by his surname Jang, initially demanded 100,000 yuan (about 19 million won) per square meter, but later doubled the demand to claim compensation amounting to 200 million yuan (about 39 billion won).
In response, the local government offered to provide three houses the same size as 5 million yuan (about 1 billion won) in cash, but Jang refused.
Eventually, the authorities built railway bridges on both sides of the house. The appearance of the isolated house spread nationwide through drone videos and photos, drawing great attention.
After receiving intense criticism from the media and the public, Jang complained of severe nervous breakdown symptoms. It was finally decided to accept the local government's official compensation plan.
The incident remains a representative example of how individual pursuit of interests can affect national infrastructure projects.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
