“Voluntary Rectification Required”
On-site Inspections to Continue Until June This Year
Gangbuk-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) announced on the 11th that it will conduct on-site inspections by June this year for 5,143 illegally constructed buildings identified based on aerial photographs taken last year.
Through this inspection, the district plans to prevent safety accidents and casualties caused by illegal buildings, raise awareness against indiscriminate construction activities, and create a pleasant urban environment.
The main inspection items include ▲ unauthorized extensions of auxiliary structures such as rooftops, balconies, and storage rooms ▲ unauthorized construction of temporary buildings such as containers ▲ expansion of business spaces using prefabricated tents or panels. Any construction without permission or notification according to the Building Act is considered illegal.
For illegal extensions where post-approval is possible, the district will guide the application procedures and provide sufficient correction periods to building owners who express willingness to rectify, encouraging voluntary compliance. However, for violations not corrected within the period, administrative actions such as registration of illegal buildings and imposition of enforcement fines will be sequentially carried out starting July.
Illegal buildings face restrictions on various permits and loans, and owners must bear enforcement fines annually until violations are corrected, resulting in financial disadvantages.
Gangbuk-gu urged, "Since there may be cases of impersonation of officials demanding money during the on-site investigation period, please be sure to check the ID of the investigating officials."
Mayor Lee Soon-hee stated, “We ask residents to be vigilant about illegal buildings and cooperate to prevent their construction. We will do our best to create a safe and livable Gangbuk-gu through fair and thorough inspections and maintenance.”
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