This study analyzes the structural causes of the rapid increase in vacant houses in rural Korea and examines the transition in government policy responses. As the demographic cliff and rural extinction intensify, vacant houses have evolved from temporary vacancies into structural, irreversible spatial problems. This paper reviews the legislative changes, specifically the amendments to the Agricultural and Fishing Villages Improvement Act and the proposed Special Act on Rural Vacant House Maintenance (2025). It further investigates the shift from government-led demolition to data-driven management and rural community partnership. The policy paradigm concerning rural vacant housing in Korea has definitively shifted from "protecting private property rights" to "prioritizing public safety and community sustainability."
Link to the original full article: https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/3907
ABSTRACT
This study analyzes the structural causes of the rapid increase in vacant houses in rural Korea and examines the transition in government policy responses. As the demographic cliff and rural extinction intensify, vacant houses have evolved from temporary vacancies into structural, irreversible spatial problems. This paper reviews the legislative changes, specifically the amendments to the Agricultural and Fishing Villages Improvement Act and the proposed Special Act on Rural Vacant House Maintenance (2025). It further investigates the shift from government-led demolition to data-driven management and rural community partnership. The policy paradigm concerning rural vacant housing in Korea has definitively shifted from "protecting private property rights" to "prioritizing public safety and community sustainability."
Keywords: Rural vacant house, Rural vacant housing policy
摘要
本研究分析韓國農村空屋激增的結構性成因，並檢視政府政策因應內容的轉變。隨著人口懸崖式下降與農村失落的現象加劇，空屋已從暫時性的閒置演變成為結構性、不可逆的空間問題。本文回顧了整體立法變化的歷程，重點將特別置於《農村與漁村改善行動法》的修訂案及《農村空屋維護特別法》（2025年的草案），並進一步探究政策如何從政府主導拆除，轉向成為了數據驅動管理及農村–社區合作的模式。韓國的農村空屋政策已明確地從「保障私有財產權」，轉向成為了「優先保障公共安全與社區永續性」的典範。
要約
本稿は、韓国農村における空き家の急増の構造的原因を分析し、政府の政策対応の変遷を検討する。人口の崖と農村消滅が深刻化する中、空き家は一時的なものから構造的・不可逆的な問題へと変容した。本稿では、立法上の変化、特に「農漁村振興法」改正と「農村空き家維持管理特別法（2025年提案）」をレビューする。さらに、政府主導の取り壊しからデータ駆動型管理と農村コミュニティ連携への転換を考察する。韓国の農村空き家に関する政策パラダイムは、「私有財産権の保護」から「公共の安全とコミュニティ持続可能性の優先」へと明確に移行した。