Aerial photographs taken in 2024 and 2025. [Provided by Bucheon City]
Aerial photographs taken in 2024 and 2025. [Provided by Bucheon City]

Bucheon city officials are set to conduct on-site inspections to crack down on illegal activity in development-restricted zones, commonly known as greenbelt areas, and strengthen land management.

The city announced Monday it will carry out field investigations to verify changes to buildings and land within its greenbelt zones, based on results from Gyeonggi Province's 2026 aerial photo analysis of development-restricted areas.

The aerial photo analysis is an administrative technique that compares imagery taken at different points in time to detect changes in terrain and structures within greenbelt zones.

A total of 61 sites in Bucheon were flagged after officials compared aerial photographs from 2024 and 2025.

The city noted that a flagged result does not automatically indicate illegal activity. Civil servants will conduct on-site inspections to verify actual land use and determine whether prior permits or approvals were obtained.

In preparation, officials are cross-referencing the analysis results against existing permit records and other relevant documents.

Once the preliminary review is complete, officials will visit each site in sequence to assess conditions on the ground. If inspections uncover violations — such as unauthorized construction or expansion of buildings, or illegal alteration of land — the city said it will impose strict administrative penalties, including orders to remedy the violations.

Alongside the inspections, the city will step up efforts to prevent illegal activity in greenbelt zones. Residents will be advised to confirm in advance whether planned changes to land or installation of structures require permits or notifications under relevant laws.

"Civil servants will visit each site directly to conduct thorough investigations in order to preserve and manage the greenbelt zones effectively," a city official said.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com