Jongno-gu Improves Architectural Administration Services... Online Application for Architectural Review

Apply for Building Review Online via 'Seumteo' Instead of Visiting in Person... Increased Convenience for Civil Complaints, Reduced Printing Costs... Use 'Integrated Messaging' to Notify in Advance When Temporary Building Retention Period Arrives... All Permits Issued by the Architecture Department Are Sent by Non-Face-to-Face Mail... 'Building Civil Complaint Counselor' System Operated Since 2013 to Solve Difficult and Complex Building Issues

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) has been improving and promoting the 'Architectural Administration Service' since January this year to enhance resident satisfaction through faster and more convenient processing of building permits and approvals.

The targets of this service improvement are three areas: ‘Architectural Committee Review’, ‘Temporary Building Extension Report’, and ‘Issuance of Permit Certificates’.

First, the application for the Architectural Committee review will be changed to be processed through Seumter (Architectural Administration System).

Previously, applicants had to visit in person to apply for the review, but from January this year, it can be done online, improving convenience for civil complaints as well as administrative efficiency.

This is also expected to reduce applicants' printing costs incurred during the Urban Architecture Joint Committee review or district unit report meetings.

Additionally, a pre-notification service using ‘Integrated Messaging’ will be introduced when the retention period of temporary buildings approaches.

Until last year, there were cases where owners or managers of temporary buildings failed to recognize the retention period and administrative measures such as compulsory fines were inevitably imposed after the period expired.

Therefore, Jongno-gu plans to support extension reporting before the retention period expires by implementing a pre-notification service using the integrated messaging system.

Furthermore, all permit certificate issuances handled by the Architecture Division will be fully converted to a non-face-to-face postal delivery method due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

This aims to resolve the inconvenience where applicants had to prepare supporting documents such as license tax payment receipts and national housing bond purchase certificates and visit the district office in person to receive various certificates.

With the introduction of postal delivery, certificates can now be received directly at applicants' homes, and supporting documents can be submitted separately at the time of construction commencement (use approval), enhancing convenience.

Along with this, Jongno-gu has been operating the ‘Architectural Civil Complaint Counselor’ system since 2013 to solve residents' difficult and complex architectural concerns.

Architects affiliated with the Jongno-gu Architects Association participate as volunteers to provide consultation on architectural civil complaints and guide residents on systems and procedures, receiving high praise from residents.

Currently, consultations are suspended but are scheduled to resume after the Lunar New Year holidays in February.

Also, through the architectural civil complaint page on the Jongno-gu Office website, information is provided to help understanding, including ▲Architectural Business Report Complaints ▲Building Permit Complaints ▲Building Report Complaints ▲Building Register Entry Applications ▲Major Architectural Complaints.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “This improvement was made to provide residents with fast and convenient architectural administrative services. We will continue to promote user-centered architectural administrative work and strive to improve resident satisfaction.”