Hwaseong-si Launches Support Center for Legal Operation of 'Saengsuk'

Consulting Support for Lodging Business Registration
and Officetel Use Change

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi-do announced on the 10th that it will establish a support center for lodging business registration or officetel use change of 'Living-type Accommodation Facilities (Saengsuk)' and start operation from the 13th.

The operation of this support center was prepared to fundamentally block illegal use of Saengsuk and to support legal use according to the owner's circumstances. The support center, installed within the City Hall's Architectural Policy Division, will operate until December 2027.

Saengsuk was introduced in 2012 in response to the increasing demand for long-term accommodation from foreign tourists and others. However, many Saengsuk have been controversially used as residences in a way that deviates from the original purpose.

Although the government announced the 'Saengsuk Illegal Use Prevention Measures' in 2021, a significant number of Saengsuk are still being used as residences without lodging business registration or use change to officetels, etc.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport prepared additional measures last October to fundamentally block new illegal use, while legalizing Saengsuk currently in use or under construction by lodging business registration or use change to officetels depending on the region and owner's circumstances.

The city plans to send guidance letters to Saengsuk owners to encourage them to apply for lodging business registration or use change by September, and provide consulting to support the owners' use change.

Seo Bung-gi, head of Hwaseong City's Architectural Policy Division, said, "We will actively support Saengsuk owners who have not yet registered for lodging business to legally use their facilities by utilizing the lodging business registration or officetel use change consulting provided by the support center."