It Will Become Difficult for Foreigners to Buy Land in 17 Border Islands Including Seohae 5do

Expansion of Foreigner Land Transaction Permission Zones for the First Time in 10 Years
Local Government Approval and Consultation with the Ministry of National Defense and National Intelligence Service Required for Foreign Land Acquisition
Unauthorized Transactions Will Be Invalid... Up to 2 Years Imprisonment or 20 Million Won Fine

From now on, the acquisition of land by foreigners will be restricted in 17 border island areas, including Baengnyeongdo and Daecheongdo, which are part of the West Sea Five Islands.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced, "We have designated 12 baseline points of the territorial sea, which were difficult to manage, and the West Sea Five Islands as foreigner land transaction permission zones." The baseline of the territorial sea is the baseline connecting the outermost points of the national territory in a straight line. This measure is taken due to defense and security needs. Considering the importance and uniqueness of the West Sea Five Islands for national defense, the entire islands have been designated as permission zones.

The 17 newly designated areas have consistently raised opinions that restricting foreign land transactions is necessary to strengthen territorial sovereignty. Additionally, this is the first time in 10 years since 2014 that new permission zones have been designated. Foreigners who intend to acquire land in these areas must obtain permission from the relevant city, county, or district office before signing a contract. Whether permission is granted will be decided through consultation with related agencies such as the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service. If a foreigner signs a land acquisition contract without permission, the contract will be invalid. A penalty of imprisonment for up to 2 years or a fine of up to 20 million won will be imposed.

Han Jeong-hee, Director of the Land Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, “This designation of permission zones will enable effective management of areas necessary for defense purposes and greatly contribute to strengthening our territorial sovereignty.” He added, “We plan to continuously strengthen the management of foreign land transactions in accordance with national security and public interest needs.”