Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police Uncover 35 Violations in Development-Restricted Zones, Including Unauthorized Construction and Changes of Use

Gyeonggi Province uncovered numerous illegal activities in development-restricted zones, including building greenhouses without permits and using them as warehouses, and using facilities permitted as greenhouses as indoor tennis courts.

Gyeonggi Province's Special Judicial Police said on October 15 that it had uncovered a total of 35 violations after conducting an intensive crackdown from September 1 to 18 at 330 sites in development-restricted zones across the province where illegal activities were suspected.

Development activities in development-restricted zones, such as constructing buildings, installing structures, changing the use of buildings, altering land, and storing goods, require permission from the competent authorities.

The main violations uncovered, all carried out without permission from the competent authorities, were: 6 cases of unauthorized construction, including building or expanding structures; 21 cases of unauthorized changes of use, in which buildings were used for purposes other than those for which they were approved; 2 cases of unauthorized land alteration, including converting forest or farmland into building sites or paving it; and 2 cases of unauthorized storage of scrap metal and stone, for a total of 35 cases.

Results of Intensive Crackdown on Illegal Activities in Development-Restricted Areas in Gyeonggi-do

Among the major violations, Person A was caught illegally building a warehouse on farmland without a permit. Anyone constructing a building in a development-restricted zone must obtain permission from the competent authorities. Only people engaged in agriculture, forestry or fisheries may build agricultural warehouses to store produce or keep farming equipment.

Person B was caught using a building permitted as an animal and plant-related facility (greenhouse) as an indoor tennis court without authorization. Person C was caught altering land designated as forest without a permit and using it as a parking lot. Permission from the competent authorities is required to alter land in a development-restricted zone by raising or lowering the ground or paving it.

Anyone who constructs a building or changes its use, installs a structure, alters land, cuts down trees, or stores goods in a development-restricted zone without permission or in violation of the terms of a permit faces up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won. If such acts are committed for profit or habitually, the penalty is up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Kwon Munju, head of Gyeonggi Province's Special Judicial Police, said, "Development-restricted zones are valuable green spaces that must be protected to prevent the disorderly expansion of cities, address the climate crisis and achieve carbon neutrality. We will strictly punish those caught violating the relevant regulations and do our utmost to eradicate illegal activities in development-restricted zones through continued enforcement."

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