Prior Assessment of 'Forest Disaster' Risks Required for Buildings Within 50 Meters of Forests

When constructing buildings adjacent to forests, a prior assessment of the risks of forest disasters such as wildfires and landslides will be required.

The Korea Forest Service announced on January 15 that it will introduce and implement this system starting February 1.

Last year, a private house in Songgok Village, Samga-myeon, Hapcheon County, Gyeongnam Province, suffered damage from a landslide. The Korea Forest Service will introduce a system that requires a prior risk assessment when constructing buildings adjacent to forests, which will be implemented starting next month. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Once the system is implemented, the heads of administrative agencies with the authority to grant building permits or accept construction notifications must notify the local forest service if the building is located within 50 meters of a forest, prior to granting the permit or accepting the notification. Upon receiving such notification, the local forest service will review the risk of forest disasters in the area and provide a written opinion in response.

The main review items include the wildfire and landslide risk grades, whether the area is affected by debris flow, whether it is designated as a landslide-prone area, the risks of forest disasters, and whether preventive facilities such as check dams and retaining walls are installed or needed.

The Korea Forest Service expects that once the system is established in the field, the risk of forest disasters will be considered from the building design stage, allowing for the installation of preventive facilities in advance and enabling proactive preparation for forest disasters.

Choi Hyunsoo, Director of the Landslide Prevention Division at the Korea Forest Service, stated, "The process of assessing the risk of forest disasters for buildings adjacent to forests is a crucial task for preventing damage from such disasters," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that the system is stably established in the field."