Reconstruction of 30-Year-Old Apartment Without Safety Inspection... Project Duration Shortened by 3 Years

Amendment to Urban Maintenance Act Passed by National Assembly... Effective June Next Year
Safety Inspection Renamed to 'Reconstruction Inspection'
6-Year Short-Term Registration Lease Revived for Villas and Non-Apartment Properties

Starting from June next year, apartments that are over 30 years old will be allowed to begin reconstruction even if they do not pass the safety inspection. The safety inspection system, introduced in 1994, will be completely revamped and renamed as the 'Reconstruction Inspection' after 30 years. As a result, the reconstruction project period is expected to be shortened by about three years.

Apartment complex in downtown Seoul / Photo by Yonhap News

The 'Urban and Residential Environment Maintenance Act Amendment,' which introduces a fast track for reconstruction, passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 14th. The amendment is scheduled to be promulgated early next month and will take effect six months after the promulgation.

The amendment includes changing the name of the safety inspection to reconstruction inspection and postponing the deadline for conducting the reconstruction inspection until before the approval of the project implementation plan. If residents wish, they can proceed with establishing a maintenance plan, designating a maintenance zone, forming a reconstruction promotion committee, and obtaining approval for the establishment of a union even without passing the safety inspection. The safety inspection must be passed before the project implementation plan approval. Currently, only those who receive a safety inspection grade of D or below, recognizing risk, can proceed with procedures such as establishing a reconstruction union.

The on-site survey system, which was a preliminary safety inspection concept where local governments had discretion over whether to conduct the safety inspection, will be abolished. Additionally, it has been improved to allow reconstruction inspections to be conducted by integrating adjacent complexes.

The consent requirements for establishing a maintenance plan and forming a promotion committee will also be simplified. From now on, if residents agree to any one of these, it will be considered that they have agreed to the others as well. The exercise of voting rights at union general meetings via electronic voting will also be permitted. A Ministry of Land official stated, "With the introduction of electronic methods, disputes related to verifying authenticity and identity that occurred with the previous paper-based method are expected to decrease, and it is anticipated to have effects such as cost reduction and improved convenience in securing quorum."

The 'Private Rental Housing Special Act Amendment,' which revives short-term registered rentals, also passed the National Assembly. The short-term rental targets are non-apartments such as villas and officetels, with a mandatory rental period of six years. Currently, only long-term rentals with a mandatory rental period of 10 years remain. The government plans to apply the 'one household, one house special case' tax benefit when a single homeowner purchases a small non-apartment and registers it as a six-year short-term rental. The amendment also includes provisions to cancel registration for malicious landlords who habitually fail to return jeonse deposits, preventing them from enjoying tax benefits.