Family registry certificates and other documents no longer required — consent alone now sufficient to run a search
South Jeolla Province has overhauled its ancestral land search service, allowing residents to locate land registered under a deceased relative's name with nothing more than a single consent form — eliminating the stack of supporting documents previously required.
The province said Friday the changes were driven by complaints from elderly residents who struggled with the old system's requirement to obtain and submit documents such as family registry certificates before a search could even begin.
Under the revamped process, the province has linked the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's National Spatial Information Platform (K-GEO Platform) with the government's shared administrative information system. Once an applicant gives consent to have their records accessed, a civil servant retrieves and verifies the necessary documents on their behalf — no in-person submission required.
The service has drawn strong interest from residents. Last year alone, South Jeolla Province received 16,000 applications, through which it provided hidden land information covering 320,000 parcels to 34,000 people.
The province said the streamlined service is particularly timely given that a revised Agricultural Land Act took effect May 18, which is expected to trigger a sweeping province-wide survey of farmland.
"We have lowered the barrier so that any resident can access land information conveniently, without administrative obstacles," said Yun Seong-sik, head of South Jeolla Province's land management division. "We will continue to develop tailored administrative services that meet the needs of the elderly and those with limited access to information."
Residents can use the ancestral land search service to check whether they have inherited — or been gifted — rural land or farmland registered under a parent's name without their knowledge. Applications can be submitted in person at the nearest district or county civil affairs office with a valid ID, or online through the National Spatial Information Platform.
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