Path opens to legalize unauthorized homes in Chuncheon ... 18-month temporary measure begins Dec. 17

【Financial News Chuncheon=Reporter Kim Gi-seop】Homes in Chuncheon that were built without permits or never received approval for use, and were therefore difficult even to sell or use as collateral, will have the opportunity to be converted into legal buildings for 18 months starting Dec. 17.
According to Chuncheon City on the 21st, a temporary process to legalize qualifying noncompliant residential buildings will be established when the Special Act on the Arrangement of Specific Buildings, enacted on June 16, takes effect on Dec. 17. The act is intended to provide relief to owners whose ability to exercise their property rights has been restricted because they were unable to complete proper procedures such as obtaining a building permit or approval for use.
Eligible buildings are specific residential buildings whose construction was effectively completed as of Dec. 31, 2023. These include buildings constructed without a permit or filing, buildings that received a permit but not approval for use, and buildings being used as homes without an authorized change of use. At least half of a building’s total floor area must be used for residential purposes.
The floor-area limits vary by housing type. Multi-family homes must have no more than 85m2 of exclusive floor area per household; detached homes must have a total floor area of no more than 165m2; and multi-household homes must have a total floor area of no more than 660m2. Local ordinances may raise the limit for detached homes to as much as 330m2. Buildings permitted for use as neighborhood living facilities or similar purposes but actually used as homes may also qualify if they are confirmed to have been used for residential purposes before Dec. 31, 2023, and meet the floor-area limit for their type.
Meeting the requirements does not guarantee that a building will be legalized. It must not cause significant problems in areas such as road access, structural safety, sanitation, fire safety, access to sunlight or urban planning, and it must go through procedures required by law, including review by a building committee. The measure may not apply to buildings in certain areas, including development-restricted zones.
Owners seeking legalization must file a report through an architect, with design documents, a site inspection report and other required materials. The specific application period and forms will be set by an enforcement decree. To ensure residents do not miss this temporary opportunity, the city plans to distribute informational posters to administrative welfare centers in towns, townships and neighborhoods starting this month, and to publicize eligibility and key details at meetings of village and neighborhood heads.
A Chuncheon City official said, “For residents who were unable to sell their homes or use them properly because of permit or approval-for-use issues, an 18-month period will be an opportunity that may not come again. We will provide detailed guidance as soon as the enforcement decree is issued, so they can check the floor-area limits and review requirements for each housing type in advance and prepare the paperwork with an architect.”

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter