A Four-Person Household with Two Children in a 17-Pyeong Home? Minimum Standard to Be Revised, Higher Target to Be Set [Real Estate AtoZ]

Ministry of Land to Revise Minimum Housing Standards, Announcement Expected by Year-End
Possibility of Expanding Required Space per Household Member
Reflecting Societal Changes: Surge in Single-Person Households and Shared Housing
Detailed 'Target' Housing Standards to Be Established for the First Time in Over a Decade

The minimum housing standard area for a single-person household living alone is 14 square meters. In terms of the 'supply area' commonly used in real estate sales—which includes shared spaces such as corridors—this is about 6 pyeong, roughly the size of a small studio apartment.

For a three-person household, such as a couple with one child, the minimum required housing area is specified as 36 square meters, and for a four-person household with two children, it is 43 square meters. This is approximately 14 pyeong and 17 pyeong, making it a tight fit for three or four people. From two-person households onward, there must be a dedicated dining area or kitchen space.

The minimum housing standard serves as a basic indicator of the residential space necessary for a comfortable life. In Korea, this standard was first introduced as a public notification in 2000. At that time, the area requirements were 2 to 7 square meters smaller than current levels. The current standards were revised in 2011, reflecting both the overall rise in national income levels and criticisms that the previous area requirements were excessively small. While the standards are not legally binding, they function as an index of residential welfare and thus provided justification for strengthening the effectiveness of welfare policies.

The government plans to announce a revised version of the minimum housing standard by the end of this year. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently unveiled its 'Housing Stability Plan,' which outlines mid- to long-term housing welfare strategies and pledged to amend the minimum housing standards. While there have been continual calls for change from civil society and within the National Assembly for several years, this is the first time the government has committed to a specific timeline for reforms.

It is highly likely that the area requirement will increase. The current standard is relatively small compared to developed countries. For example, Japan, which has a similar system, sets its minimum living space for a single-person household at 25 square meters, and, for households with two or more people, uses the formula: 10 square meters per household member, plus an additional 10 square meters. Accordingly, a two-person household requires 30 square meters, a three-person household 40 square meters, and a four-person household 50 square meters.

It is also necessary to reflect current societal trends, such as the rapid increase in single-person households. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, in 2000, four-person households accounted for 31% of all households, making them the largest group, while single-person households made up only about 16%. By 2025, the proportion of single-person households had soared to 37%, while four-person households had shrunk to 12%.

Furthermore, there are now many cases where it is difficult to apply the current minimum housing standards, such as households formed by non-family members or multiple one- or two-person households sharing certain residential facilities. As the existing uniform minimum housing standards no longer reflect these societal changes, the need for reform has grown.

One-room apartments in the Sillim-dong area of Seoul. Many were formerly used as Goshiwon dormitories and have since been renovated into one-room apartments. Photo by Huh Younghan

Some point out that it is also necessary to factor in elements that determine the qualitative level of housing. Currently, under the minimum housing standard, not only are floor area and number of rooms stipulated, but also the presence of essential facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms equipped with water supply and drainage (or groundwater facilities). Structural, performance, and environmental criteria are also imposed.

It has been argued that, beyond these basic benchmarks, the standards should be expanded to include specific environmental factors, such as amount of daylight and noise between floors. Some stakeholders have also suggested that separate standards are needed for housing alternatives such as officetels, lodging facilities, dormitories, makeshift shacks, greenhouses, and goshiwons, in addition to conventional residential housing.

The government is working on revising the minimum housing standard, which serves as the 'lower limit,' and also seeking to specify 'target' housing standards that can function as policy goals. Although the Housing Framework Act, established in 2015, made it mandatory to define these target standards, the government has not yet presented concrete criteria.

With last year’s amendment to the Housing Framework Act now requiring both the minimum and target housing standards to be reviewed and included in the comprehensive housing plan, the government has decided to establish specific indicators. In Japan, for example, the minimum living space for a single-person household is set at 25 square meters, while the recommended target area is 40 to 55 square meters (city-type or general-type), considerably higher than the minimum.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's housing status surveys, 16.6% of households were below the minimum housing standard in 2006. Since then, the ratio has steadily declined, dropping to single digits (7.2%) for the first time in 2012 and decreasing further to just 3.8% in the most recent survey in 2024. If the minimum housing standards are revised upward, this proportion is expected to rise somewhat.

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