Gyeonggi Province to Collect City and County Field Opinions Ahead of "Vacant Buildings Special Act" Implementation

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government will gather on-site opinions from city and county authorities ahead of the implementation of the "Special Act on Maintenance and Support of Vacant Buildings," which is set to come into effect in September next year and will integrate vacant houses and buildings with long-term suspended construction into a unified management system.

The "Special Act on Maintenance and Support of Vacant Buildings," which was enacted and promulgated on September 8, aims to consolidate the management of vacant houses, vacant buildings, and buildings with suspended construction—which until now had been managed under various separate laws—into a management system centered on "vacant buildings." This law establishes a systematic approach to everything from inspection and maintenance to utilization. The law will take effect on September 9, 2027.

Under the new law, city and county governments will be required to conduct a comprehensive survey of vacant buildings every five years, an annual status survey, and manage the results through an information system. They will also be responsible for establishing a five-year basic plan for vacant building maintenance, as well as promoting maintenance projects and implementing safety measures.

The role of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government will also be expanded. The provincial government will formulate a five-year strategic plan for vacant building maintenance and will engage in prior consultations when city and county governments establish their basic plans. There will now be a legal basis for financial support for vacant building maintenance projects and related surveys. In addition, a vacant building maintenance fund will be established and managed, and the creation of a dedicated organization to oversee and coordinate related work will become mandatory.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

The responsibility of vacant building owners will be strengthened in particular. For vacant buildings that pose potential risks of safety accidents, crimes, or hygiene hazards, the mayor or county governor may order necessary measures such as safety precautions or demolition. If these orders are not followed, enforcement fines or compulsory actions by the authorities may be imposed.

On the other hand, institutional support for repurposing abandoned buildings will also be expanded. Areas where the number or proportion of vacant buildings is growing may be designated as "vacant building maintenance promotion zones," where building-to-land ratios and floor-area ratios can be relaxed if certain conditions are met. Support will also be available for improvements, major repairs, changes of use, or demolition of vacant buildings, and integration with urban maintenance and urban regeneration projects will be possible.

However, specific details such as methods for conducting status surveys, criteria for identifying buildings subject to management, standards for designating maintenance promotion zones, and criteria for imposing enforcement fines—matters that will apply directly in the field—will be determined later through implementing ordinances and enforcement rules.

Chun Byungmun, Director of Urban Regeneration at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, said, "With the enforcement of the special act, the management responsibility of vacant building owners and the role of local governments will be expanded, so it is essential to establish reasonable standards and support measures that can be practically applied in the field. We will actively propose to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure that standards to enhance the effectiveness of the system without placing excessive burdens on vacant building owners are reflected in subordinate legislation."

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