Chuncheon City to Provide Guidance on Legalizing Unauthorized Homes; Special Act Takes Effect Dec. 17

Eligible: Residential buildings within size limits and completed by the end of 2023
Temporary 18-month program... Prepare design documents and site inspection reports through an architect

A path is opening to legalize residential buildings that did not receive a building permit or approval for use, provided they meet certain requirements.

A view of Chuncheon City Hall.

Chuncheon City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Yuk Dong-han) announced on October 21 that it will begin providing advance information on eligibility and application procedures ahead of the Special Act on the Arrangement of Specific Buildings taking effect on December 17.

Enacted on June 16, the special act is intended to provide relief to building owners who have faced difficulties exercising their property rights because their buildings did not go through the required legal construction procedures. It will apply on a temporary basis for 18 months from its effective date.

Eligible buildings are residential specific buildings that were substantially completed as of December 31, 2023, and are below certain size limits. These include buildings constructed without a permit or report, as well as buildings that received a building permit but did not obtain approval for use. At least 50% of the total floor area must be used for residential purposes.

The floor-area limits vary by housing type: multifamily housing must have no more than 85 square meters of exclusive area per household, detached houses no more than 165 square meters of total floor area, and multi-unit houses no more than 660 square meters of total floor area. Local government ordinances may expand eligibility for detached houses to those with a total floor area of up to 330 square meters.

Buildings permitted for use as neighborhood facilities or for other purposes but used as housing may also qualify. However, their residential use must be verified as having begun before December 31, 2023, and they must meet the floor-area limit for their housing type.

Meeting the floor-area and use requirements does not guarantee that a building will be legalized. It must not cause significant problems related to roads, structural safety, sanitation, fire protection, access to sunlight, or urban planning, and it must go through procedures prescribed by law, including review by a building committee. Eligibility may be restricted in some areas, including restricted development zones.

Owners seeking to legalize their buildings must prepare and submit an application, including design documents and a site inspection report, through an architect. The specific application period and required forms will be determined under the enforcement decree.

Starting this month, Chuncheon City plans to distribute informational posters to administrative welfare centers in its townships, town areas, and neighborhoods, and to share key details at meetings of neighborhood and village heads.

A Chuncheon City official said, "We hope the special act will help residents who have faced difficulties exercising their property rights because of issues with building permits or approval for use. We will provide guidance so owners of eligible buildings can fully understand the system and prepare their applications."

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