Jeong Heeyong Proposes the “Three Park Golf Promotion Bills”

Establishing a basis for administrative and financial support by the state and local governments
Clarifying the legal basis for installing park golf courses within development restriction zones
Simplifying river occupancy permit procedures

On the 24th, National Assembly Member Jeong Heeyong (People Power Party, Goryeong County, Seongju County and Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang Province) sponsored what is being called the “Three Park Golf Promotion Bills” (partial amendments to the Sports Facilities Act, the River Act, and the Act on Special Measures for Designation and Management of Development Restriction Zones) to promote the spread of park golf.

Jeong Heeyong, Member of the National Assembly (People Power Party, Goryeong County, Seongju County and Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang) / Reporter Kim Ihwan

Recently, demand for park golf has been surging, especially among older adults, and it is rapidly spreading as a form of daily sports. However, critics have pointed out that the pace of infrastructure expansion has not kept up. In response, Assemblyman Jeong explained that he prepared these amendment bills to rationally improve related regulations and strengthen the basis for public support, thereby promoting the creation of park golf courses. The main contents of the “Three Park Golf Promotion Bills” are as follows.

▲ Amendment to the Sports Facilities Act

Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the current Sports Facilities Act stipulates that the state and local governments must install and operate daily sports facilities that citizens can easily use near their places of residence.

The amendment clearly specifies in law the basis for installing park golf courses by newly adding a provision stating that “the state and local governments may install and operate park golf courses, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, in order to promote daily sports for the people.” It also newly adds a support provision stating that “the state and local governments may provide administrative and financial support necessary for the installation and operation of park golf courses.”

▲ Amendment to the River Act

Article 33, Paragraph 1 of the current Act requires any person who intends to newly construct structures or the like within a river zone to obtain an occupancy permit from the river management authority. Accordingly, park golf courses, where the installation of structures is kept to a minimum, are still subject to the same river occupancy permit procedures as general structures.

The amendment stipulates that when applying for an occupancy permit for the installation of eco-friendly sports facilities such as park golf courses, if it is determined that the scale and nature of the facilities have only a minor impact on the river, the river management authority may simplify the occupancy permit procedures or process them expeditiously.

▲ Amendment to the Act on Special Measures for Designation and Management of Development Restriction Zones

Article 12, Paragraph 1 of the current Act provides that facilities such as “parks, green areas, outdoor sports facilities, and small-scale indoor sports facilities that can help maintain and conserve development restriction zones” may be installed within development restriction zones with the permission of the head of the local government.

However, the Enforcement Decree of the Act explicitly lists volleyball courts, tennis courts, badminton courts, and gateball courts as outdoor sports facilities, but does not separately define park golf courses. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has issued an authoritative interpretation that park golf courses fall under “sports facilities similar to these that are exercise facilities not accompanied by the construction of buildings” within the scope of outdoor sports facilities, and on that basis has allowed their installation within development restriction zones.

The amendment clarifies that park golf courses are outdoor sports facilities that may be installed within development restriction zones with the permission of the head of the local government by adding an explanatory phrase in parentheses to the term “outdoor sports facilities,” which is currently specified in the law as facilities that can be installed in such zones. The term will be revised to read “outdoor sports facilities (including park golf courses and other sports facilities prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport).”

Assemblyman Jeong emphasized, “Park golf is a form of daily sports that not only improves the health of older adults but also can expand communication between generations. Since infrastructure expansion has lagged behind the speed of its popularization, we will establish a more systematic support framework through the ‘Three Park Golf Promotion Bills’.” He added, “I will spare no legislative support so that park golf can firmly take root as a national sport enjoyed by all generations together.”