Remodeling Long-Abandoned Vacant Houses
Up to Three Years of Stable Housing for Young People, Newlyweds, and Return-to-Village Residents
Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province is actively promoting the 'Vacant House Connection Project' to support the stable settlement of young people and return-to-farm or return-to-village residents in the region.
This project aims to simultaneously attract new residents and ensure housing stability by offering homes at a remarkably low monthly rent of 10,000 won.
According to the county on July 8, the 'Vacant House Connection Project' is part of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Local Extinction Response Fund initiative. It is a flagship population influx policy in which the county remodels long-abandoned houses and utilizes them as residential spaces for young people and return-to-farm or return-to-village residents.
In 2023, as a pilot project, the county selected three vacant houses and completed remodeling each with a budget of up to 100 million won per house. The residents moved into these homes in early 2024.
This year, remodeling has been completed on five vacant houses, and the county plans to select the final residents as early as the second half of the year.
This year, out of ten vacant houses submitted as remodeling candidates, the county is reviewing whether they meet essential requirements, such as agreement to provide free rent for the next five years and having the same owner for the land and building. The final five houses will be selected within this month, and construction is scheduled to be completed within the year.
Eligible residents include young people aged 18 to 45, newlyweds within seven years of marriage, engaged couples planning to register their marriage within three months, and return-to-farm or return-to-village residents who have moved to Cheongyang County within the past five years or are planning to move in. The final residents will be selected by comprehensively applying additional scoring criteria.
Residents can live in these homes for up to three years by paying only a monthly rent of 10,000 won, allowing them to prepare for settling in the region without worrying about housing costs.
A county official stated, "The Vacant House Connection Project is a key initiative for attracting new residents and revitalizing the region," adding, "By utilizing abandoned houses, we expect not only to improve the environment but also to significantly enhance the local settlement conditions."
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