Easing of 'Mountain Area Regulations' in Population-Declining Regions Such as Mountain Villages

Mountain area regulations in depopulated regions such as mountain villages will be eased.

The Korea Forest Service announced on the 11th that it has decided to relax mountain area regulations with the aim of rational use of mountain areas and improving living conditions in depopulated regions such as mountain villages.

Provided by Korea Forest Service

The target for easing mountain area regulations includes mountain areas designated as restricted zones within mountain use and temporary use restriction areas where maintaining the restricted status is no longer necessary. The Korea Forest Service reviewed sites subject to lifting restrictions, including restricted areas on private land, by gathering opinions from related agencies and local governments.

Once lifted from restricted status, the installation of facilities for community development such as housing for farmers, foresters, and fishers, production and processing facilities, and forest tourism complexes will be broadly permitted, creating conditions expected to revitalize the local economy, according to the Korea Forest Service.

This year, the Korea Forest Service plans to amend the Enforcement Decree of the Mountain Management Act to expand the scope allowing local governments to relax mountain use permit standards by ordinance in depopulated areas from the current 10% to 20%.

Additionally, the Korea Forest Service intends to enhance sustainability by balancing conservation and utilization of mountain areas through measures such as lifting restrictions on private land that has lost its designated purpose and designating new restricted areas on national land along major mountain ridges like Baekdudaegan.

Nam Sung-hyun, Administrator of the Korea Forest Service, stated, “We will continuously promote regulatory improvements that the public can feel by reflecting changing times and local conditions,” and added, “We hope that the maintenance of restricted areas and the relaxation of mountain use permit standards in depopulated areas will contribute to balanced regional development.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.