About 90,000 Illegal Facilities Found on Rivers and Valleys Nationwide... Blue House: "Collusion with Officials Will Be Referred for Investigation"

Of 3,156 Commercial Facilities, 36% Have Been Rectified

After Guidance Period Ends, Zero-Tolerance Enforcement Begins

The Blue House has announced that if it is confirmed that public officials in charge of crackdowns have colluded with business operators—beyond merely condoning or overlooking illegal facilities along rivers and valleys nationwide—the matter will be referred to investigative authorities. The number of illegal facilities, which initially stood at 835 according to the first government survey, has surged to approximately 90,000 following President Lee Jae-myung’s order for a reinvestigation, which utilized comprehensive satellite and aerial photo surveys.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting held at the Blue House on July 13, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

On July 13, Kim Tae-geun, Secretary for Local Autonomy Development at the Blue House, appeared on the Blue House’s “Fact Mill” program and stated, “The long-standing neglect of illegal facilities appears to be due to incomplete law enforcement, insufficient management, and, in some cases, even collusion. We intend to hold those responsible strictly accountable for any failure to properly investigate or enforce the law, and if collusion involving public officials is confirmed, we will refer the matter to investigative agencies.”

The Blue House conducted on-site safety inspections for about three weeks in May and plans to carry out additional inspections in July and August. Secretary Kim said, “There appear to have been cases that went beyond merely condoning or overlooking illegality and involved outright collusion. We have conveyed to the relevant public officials that this measure will not be a one-off and that accountability for past management failures will be pursued.”

The government’s initial investigation identified 835 cases from July of last year to early this year. When the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported this number at a Cabinet meeting on February 24, President Lee pointed out, “Just in Gyeonggi Province, there should be more than 800 cases,” questioning the adequacy of the investigation method.

President Lee also addressed the root causes of recurring illegal facilities at that time, stating, “Isn’t it because the profits from illegal operations exceed the fines or penalties imposed?” He called for a realistic adjustment of the sanction levels. In response, the government extended the survey deadline to the end of March and launched a new comprehensive investigation using satellite and aerial imagery. As the number of reports and violations continued to rise, the investigation period was further extended to the end of June, resulting in the identification of approximately 90,000 illegal facilities.

Remediation efforts will be tailored according to the nature of the illegal facilities. Any commercial facility that charges for seating or parking by occupying valleys or rivers without authorization will be removed without exception. There are 3,156 such commercial facilities identified nationwide, of which 1,149 facilities—36.4%—have already been addressed. For the remaining facilities, restoration orders, compensation charges, and administrative enforcement are being carried out sequentially.

In contrast, non-commercial facilities such as village pavilions, rest areas, sports facilities, bridges, and communal workspaces will be reviewed for remediation based on their public utility and impact on residents’ daily lives. Facilities eligible for occupancy or use permits will be legalized, and for those with high public utility, public institutions will install alternative facilities. Farmland and greenhouses may also be legalized after a grace period if eligible for permits. There are approximately 78,000 non-commercial facilities, of which about 13,000, or 17%, had been remediated as of the end of June.

Secretary Kim stated, “As the guidance period ended at the end of June, we are now enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for commercial facilities.” The government plans to assign management cards to each illegal facility in its internal system and establish a constant monitoring system using closed-circuit (CC) TV, enforcement signboards, and river guardians.

Areas with repeated unauthorized occupation will be designated as key management zones, and, if necessary, measures such as business suspension under the Food Sanitation Act will be pursued. The government is also considering ways to increase penalties so that fines exceed the profits from illegal operations.

Recent cases highlighted via YouTube, such as the Majang Market in Inje County and the Misiryeong Valley in Goseong County, were addressed immediately. In Majang Market, public land was illegally occupied and parking fees of 10,000 won per person were collected. At a campsite in Goseong, public and private land was used to block access to the valley. The Blue House explained that it instructed the relevant local governments to immediately remove illegal signs and access controls, and access is now open to the general public.

For livelihood-based business operators and vulnerable groups, enforcement will be accompanied by support measures. Those who voluntarily remove illegal facilities will be exempted from compensation charges and criminal liability, and if their livelihood is impacted, the government will provide job placement or public rental housing. The Blue House cited a case in Gimpo City where a couple in their 60s who had operated an illegal kiosk received both relocation to public rental housing and employment monitoring illegal activities along the river.

For valleys and rivers where remediation is complete, the government plans to install public restrooms, parking lots, rest areas, walking paths, and shade structures. There are also plans to collect and release nationwide data on remediated sites and accessible rivers and valleys in a single platform.

Secretary Kim stated, “We will not tolerate any actions that unfairly restrict access to rivers and valleys. We will not stop at a one-time campaign but will see this through until the public can experience the effectiveness of government action.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.