Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Enhances Road Administration Convenience Through Smart Technology Adoption

Road Occupancy Preliminary Review Guide Poster (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chunhee] The 'road occupancy' permit, which has felt complicated to civil petitioners, is expected to become easier through smart technology.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 1st that it plans to expand the pre-assessment system, which can inform applicants in advance whether a road occupancy permit is possible before applying, by utilizing non-face-to-face technologies such as QR codes and smart applications (apps).

Currently, to occupy roads for purposes such as connecting road entrances or installing roadside facilities, permission must be obtained from road management authorities such as the National Land Management Office and local governments. This accounts for a significant portion of current road-related civil petitions.

Since 2003, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has introduced a road occupancy pre-assessment system that notifies applicants early about the possibility of permit approval through a simplified review, aiming to resolve such petitions more conveniently and enhance administrative trust. However, as the system was not activated, issues arose where petitioners could not recognize prohibited zones in advance, leading to wasted valuable time and document costs. According to the Ministry, out of a total of 736 general national road occupancy permit applications last year, 88 cases (12.0%) were denied. Among these, 3 cases proceeded to administrative lawsuits.

In response, the Ministry plans to increase accessibility to pre-assessment applications by utilizing QR codes and smart apps to activate the system, while simultaneously promoting non-face-to-face civil petition services to support social distancing. The Ministry intends to promote the system through user guide videos (UCC) and posters with attached QR codes, and to develop a mobile-based licensing system that allows other road administration services to be performed non-face-to-face.

Oh Sooyoung, Director of Road Operation at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We plan to continuously explore ways to activate road administration that satisfies both civil petitioners and road management authorities."