Timed to the Special Measures Act taking effect Dec. 17 — one-stop service covers architect consultations, tax guidance and enforcement-fine advice; three-stage tailored support system built to minimize residents' financial burden
Gwangjin-gu is moving to establish a "One-Stop Support Center for Legalizing Unauthorized Buildings" to help residents navigate the complex process of bringing illegal structures into compliance, ahead of the Special Act on the Disposition of Specific Buildings taking effect Dec. 17.
The center is one of the key campaign pledges of Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho, reflecting the district's commitment to minimizing the burden on residents and delivering proactive administrative support.
The Special Act on the Disposition of Specific Buildings grants a temporary window for unauthorized structures that meet certain conditions to be legalized. The law aims to ease housing insecurity for tenants and buyers and protect property rights by bringing structures that have long existed outside the legal framework into compliance.
In line with the act's objectives, the district has conducted a comprehensive survey of unauthorized buildings since September, sending notices outlining procedures and requirements to owners with a high likelihood of eligibility. Alongside this, the district has been running a dedicated counseling center, handling an average of 130 tailored consultations per month to address residents' concerns.
The new one-stop center is a major expansion and overhaul of that existing counseling operation. Beyond basic consultations on unauthorized structures, it will offer guidance on ancillary parking space costs, tax issues and related concerns, and will provide technical support — including the preparation of architectural drawings and site reports — through partnerships with licensed architects.
To maximize convenience for residents, the center will operate on a three-stage tailored process: diagnosis, consultation and referral. In the first stage, a licensed architect conducts a free one-on-one consultation to assess whether legalization is feasible. For residents with mobility difficulties or cases requiring on-site inspection, the center will also offer a home-visit service.
In the second stage, specialists in their respective fields will provide detailed solutions on the issues residents find most challenging — enforcement fines, ancillary parking space costs and tax matters.
In the third and final stage, the center will partner with the Gwangjin-gu Architects Association to match residents with a vetted pool of professionals, allowing them to engage a licensed architect at a pre-negotiated, reasonable rate and significantly reducing the financial burden on residents.
Alongside this, the district will operate an administrative support service to help residents obtain building registry documents and permit-related paperwork required for legalization applications.
The district plans to begin full-scale preparations in June, when the government bill is promulgated, and to complete the center's establishment by December, in line with the enactment of the Seoul Metropolitan Government ordinance. However, the center's establishment is contingent on Seoul first enacting the relevant municipal ordinance under the higher-level legislation. The district said it will work closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to ensure all preliminary steps, including the ordinance process, are completed without delay so the center can launch immediately when the law takes effect.
"The enactment of this special act will be a welcome opportunity for residents who have long struggled to exercise their property rights and have lived with housing insecurity," District Mayor Kim said. "We will prepare thoroughly before the law takes effect, build a one-stop support system, and do our utmost to ensure residents can fully benefit from the new regime."
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