"Unregistered Rural Homes Left for Decades Must Be Regularized"... Democratic Party's Im Miae Proposes Bill

On September 1, Im Miae, a proportional representative member of the Democratic Party, announced that she had sponsored the "Special Act on the Regularization of Unregistered Rural Housing" to legalize residential properties in rural and fishing villages that have remained unregistered for decades, in order to ensure the housing stability and property rights of elderly residents.

In rural and fishing village areas, numerous homes have been inhabited for decades without property registers or official ownership registration, mainly due to inadequate administrative procedures and the lack of an approval system in the past.

Democratic Party member Mi Ae Lim

Although these houses are in fact recognized and used as residences and are subject to annual local taxes such as property tax, they have repeatedly been excluded from essential public welfare programs—including renovation of old houses, energy efficiency upgrades, and housing subsidies—simply because they do not have official registry records.

Furthermore, because it is difficult to prove ownership, basic property rights such as selling, inheritance, or using the property as collateral for loans are unattainable. When elderly farmers or fishermen are admitted to care facilities or pass away, handling their assets becomes complicated, leading to an increase in abandoned homes in rural areas and intensified legal disputes among family members.

This bill targets homes constructed before December 31, 2005, that are used as residences. If actual occupancy is verified through records of property tax payments and on-site surveys, the local regularization committee (at the city, county, or district level) will review the case, and—upon approval—simplify the process for registering the property and recording the ownership.

The bill also stipulates that, for homes built on farmland, farmland conversion permits will be deemed granted, and farmland preservation fees will be waived for residents aged 65 or older. Additionally, there are special provisions for reducing penalty surcharges imposed for past violations of the Building Act. To enhance policy effectiveness, it also allows applicants to immediately apply for housing welfare programs as soon as their home is designated for regularization, even before final registration is complete.

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