Legal and Institutional Reform Measures for Addressing the Vacant House Issue

This paper aims to analyze the current status and causes of the increasingly serious vacant house problem in Korea from multiple perspectives and to propose legal and institutional improvement measures. Due to rapid population decline, aging, and urban hollowing-out-major structural changes in society-the number of vacant houses is rapidly increasing nationwide, with the issue particularly pronounced in rural areas and major provincial cities. The neglect of vacant houses leads to various social problems beyond mere aesthetic concerns, including risks of collapse, fire, crime, the formation of slums, a decline in nearby property values, and the disintegration of local communities. The current “Special Act on the Maintenance of Vacant Houses and Small-Scale Housing” provides a basic framework for addressing vacant house issues, but its effectiveness is limited due to ambiguities in the definition and scope of vacant houses, lack of effectiveness in maintenance planning, and problems with enforcement fines. Accordingly, this paper systematically examines the causes and current status of vacant houses, analyzes the limitations of the current legal system, and emphasizes the need to establish a legal basis that balances individual property rights with the public interest. The paper also highlights the importance of strengthening the vacant house management capacity of local governments, expanding central government support, and adopting policy approaches that utilize vacant houses as resources for urban regeneration. In addition, by comparing and analyzing successful foreign cases of vacant house management, the paper explores the possibility of introducing suitable systems for Korea. Through these discussions, the paper seeks to provide systematic and effective response measures to the vacant house problem and ultimately argues that such efforts can contribute to improving the urban environment, securing residential safety, and revitalizing local communities.