'Farm Stay Type Rest Areas' Allowing Overnight Stays to Be Introduced from December... Existing 'Nongmak' Must Be Converted Within 3 Years

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Announces Plan for 'Rural Stay-Type Rest Areas'
Usable for Up to 12 Years Within a Total Floor Area of 33㎡
Only Farmland with Fire Truck and Ambulance Access Allowed

The government has decided to introduce a 'rural stay-type shelter' system that allows accommodation starting this December to increase the rural living population. The total floor area must be within 33㎡ and meet location and facility standards for disaster and fire response. Existing farm sheds can be converted into rural stay-type shelters for three years if they meet the shelter installation standards. This is intended to legitimize farm sheds.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the 'Rural Stay-Type Shelter Introduction Plan' containing these details at the National Policy-Related Ministers' Meeting held on the 1st.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, "The rural stay-type shelter is a facility introduced in response to the increasing demand for returning to farming and rural areas following social changes such as urban overcrowding. It reflects public opinion that temporary accommodation facilities are needed where one can experience both agriculture and rural life simultaneously in rural areas. It is expected to establish itself as a new concept of rural stay-type residential facility replacing farm sheds, which are currently not allowed for lodging under existing laws."

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Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs had been promoting amendments to the Enforcement Rules of the Farmland Act last May, focusing on strengthening farm shed management standards. However, as controversy over whether sleeping was allowed grew, they gathered public opinion on improving the farm shed system. Following the public opinion that "a new type of stay facility replacing farm sheds is necessary," the introduction of the 'rural stay-type shelter' was officially announced at a public discussion held in Ulsan this February.

Yoon Won-seup, Director of Agricultural Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "The rural stay-type shelter is a temporary accommodation for urban residents' weekend farming experience and rural stay expansion, installed for personal use. The stay-type shelter will be allowed to be installed by individuals or local governments."

◆Shelters can be installed within a total floor area of 33㎡ excluding decks, parking lots, etc.

First, the government allows rural stay-type shelters to be installed within a total floor area of 33㎡ excluding accessory facilities such as decks, parking lots, and septic tanks on farmland owned by the individual without procedures like farmland conversion permits.

However, since the rural stay-type shelter is intended for urban residents' weekend and experiential farming, a certain area of farming activity must be conducted. Also, as it is based on human residence, minimum safety standards for fire and disaster preparedness and certain installation requirements to prevent damage to surrounding farming have been established.

To prepare for disasters and environmental pollution, installation of rural stay-type shelters is restricted in areas designated as 'disaster prevention zones' under the National Land Use and Planning Act, 'collapse risk areas' designated under the Act on Prevention of Steep Slope Disasters, 'natural disaster risk improvement zones' under the Natural Disaster Countermeasures Act, areas subject to 'strict discharge water quality standards' under the Sewerage Act, and areas designated by local governments through ordinances for disaster safety.

Also, rural stay-type shelters are only allowed on farmland adjacent to roads accessible by fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles in case of emergencies. To prepare for fires, it is mandatory to equip fire extinguishers and install standalone smoke detectors within the rural stay-type shelter. Shelters cannot be installed on 'landlocked' plots without road access for safety reasons.

◆Farm sheds can be converted within 3 years; parking lot installation also allowed

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is also promoting a plan to legitimize farm sheds, which have been used as temporary accommodations in practice. If existing farm sheds meet the location and installation standards for rural stay-type shelters, conversion to rural stay-type shelters will be allowed within three years through owner notification and other procedures.

Unnecessary regulations will be improved. Separate from the farm shed total floor area (within 20㎡), installation of decks and septic tanks will be permitted, and considering agricultural field conditions, parking lot installation on one side will also be allowed to enhance convenience.

Shelters in the form of temporary buildings are subject to acquisition tax and property tax, but as they are non-residential buildings, they are excluded from real estate-related taxes such as capital gains tax and comprehensive real estate tax. However, disadvantages may occur if residents register their address at the shelter. An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "Although it is legally impossible to block address registration for rural stay-type shelters, considering the purpose of shelter installation and residential safety, if the owner registers their address, it can be regarded as an intention for permanent residence (over 30 days), which may be considered a violation of the Farmland Act."

The Ministry plans to amend the Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules of the Farmland Act to allow installation of rural stay-type shelters in the form of temporary buildings starting this December, and through amendments to the Farmland Act, introduce a method where local governments create rural stay-type shelter complexes and lease them to individuals.

Director Yoon said, "Expanding the rural living population through activation of weekend and experiential farming in rural areas is an important task to prevent rural extinction. The rural stay-type shelter will serve as a base that enables urban residents to experience rural life easily without the burden of permanent rural residence, and it will greatly contribute to revitalizing the rural regional economy in the future."