Jinju City Conducts Survey on Vacant Houses Unused or Unoccupied for Over One Year

Jinju City in Gyeongnam Province is conducting the "2024 Vacant House Survey" to identify the status of vacant houses, which have become a serious social issue in conjunction with population decline and urban area deterioration.

This survey is a regular investigation conducted every five years, carried out in partnership with the Korea Real Estate Board, a specialized agency for vacant house surveys. The results, including the identification of vacant houses unused or uninhabited for over a year and their grading, will be used as basic data for establishing vacant house maintenance plans in urban and rural areas and for implementing maintenance projects.

Vacant houses within Jinju city.

The survey targets 1,839 houses within Jinju City estimated to be vacant based on a preliminary investigation conducted according to the "National Vacant House Survey Integrated Guidelines," which cross-analyzed electricity and water usage data (869 urban vacant houses and 970 rural vacant houses).

During the field survey, vacant houses will be determined by considering factors such as ▲meter removal ▲complete closure of entrances ▲opinions of owners and neighboring residents. Evaluation items include the deterioration and poor condition of the house itself and the risk posed by the vacant house to the surrounding area. Houses will be graded as ▲Grade 1 (for utilization) ▲Grade 2 (for management) ▲Grade 3 (for maintenance).

After verification and inspection, the survey results will be entered into the Vacant House Information System and registered in the nationwide vacant house monitoring system to enable efficient long-term management of vacant houses.

Jinju City plans to establish a vacant house maintenance plan starting in 2025 based on the results after the survey is completed in December. The city will also use the data as a foundation to diversify and promptly implement projects addressing residential environment improvement and population decline.

A city official stated, "The survey will lay the groundwork for systematically maintaining vacant houses that have been neglected for a long time and caused social problems," and added, "We ask for the active cooperation of owners and local residents in allowing access to vacant houses and during interviews to enhance the reliability of the survey."