Seoul City Opens Park Areas to Citizens Through 'Land Use Contracts'... Owners Receive Tax Reductions
Securing Park Use Rights Through Land Use Contracts to Open Park Areas Free of Charge to Citizens
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 14th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will actively promote land use contracts within urban natural park zones, securing citizens' rights to use parks while providing tax reduction benefits to private owners.
A land use contract is a newly established provision under the Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas, allowing project implementers to enter into usage agreements with landowners of sites designated as parks to install urban parks. Through a "land use contract (free of charge)," Seoul City and landowners can mutually agree to use urban natural park zones without charge, enabling the city to open privately owned parks to citizens without investing in land compensation costs. Additionally, when a free contract is signed, property tax on the land is exempted, thus fulfilling both public purposes and private interests simultaneously.
Hot Picks Today
!["Rather Than Endure a 1.5 Million KRW Stipend, I'd Rather Earn 500 Million in the U.S." Top Talent from SNU and KAIST Are Leaving [Scientists Are Disappearing] ①](https://cwcontent.asiae.co.kr/asiaresize/93/2026051914165468840_1779167814.png)
"Rather Than Endure a 1.5 Million KRW Stipend, I'd Rather Earn 500 Million in the U.S." Top Talent from SNU and KAIST Are Leaving [Scientists Are Disappearing] ①
- "Not Jealous of Winning the Lottery"... Entire Village Stunned as 200 Million Won Jackpot of Wild Ginseng Cluster Discovered at Jirisan
- "I'll Stop by Starbucks Tomorrow": People Power Chungbuk Committee and Geoje Mayoral Candidate Face Criticism for Alleged 5·18 Demeaning Remarks
- "I Will Give Them a Chance for Self-Examination": Chinese Scientific Community Shaken by Influencer's Preemptive Whistleblowing
- "How Did an Employee Who Loved Samsung End Up Like This?"... Past Video of Samsung Electronics Union Chairman Resurfaces
The city plans to continuously discover and expand additional target sites by providing incentives such as tax reductions and preferential treatment when applying for negotiated purchases within urban natural park zones, thereby enhancing citizens' accessibility to and convenience of park use. Currently, urban natural park zones in Seoul receive a 50% reduction in property tax through amendments to Seoul City and district ordinances, and when a land use contract (free of charge) is signed, the property tax on the contracted land is 100% reduced (tax-exempt).
Land use contracts mainly target areas with good trails and accessibility, such as hiking and walking paths, which citizens can use immediately, and applications are accepted for any land within urban natural park zones. Applications for land use contracts are accepted at any time by the park and green space departments of the local district offices where the land is located.
Yoo Young-bong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City Bureau, said, “We plan to further expand land use contracts that can provide citizens with pleasant and beautiful parks through cooperation and coexistence.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
