Song Miryeong "Empty Houses Are Valuable Resources in Rural Areas... Now Is the Golden Time for Rural Restructuring"

Press Conference at 'Ganyanggil Cafe' Remodeled from a Hanok

Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is speaking at a press briefing held at a hanok cafe located in Yesan on the 25th. (Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

Song Miryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated on the 25th, "There needs to be a shift in perception that rural vacant houses are not 'problems to be solved' but 'resources.'"

At a press briefing that day, Minister Song said, "Now is the golden time for rural spatial restructuring." The briefing was held at the 'Ganyanggil' cafe located in Yesan. This cafe opened in April 2020 after renovating an abandoned hanok. Minister Song explained, "This cafe is an example that shows how abandoned spaces can be regenerated and utilized as resources," adding, "The government intends to actively support turning such vacant houses into spaces where young people can start new businesses."

The Ganyanggil cafe was started by a couple who worked at a design company in Seoul and returned to farming. They purchased land (560 pyeong) and a hanok in Yesan, their hometown, for a total of 290 million KRW to establish the cafe as their parents were considering relocating to the countryside. Seulgi Lee, CEO of Ganyanggil cafe, said, "When we purchased it in 2019, there were objections from those around us suggesting it would be better to demolish the hanok and build a new building for the cafe, but we were attracted to the hanok built in the 1940s and decided to renovate it. Initially, only the detached building (about 26.4㎡) was used as a cafe while the main building (25 pyeong) was a residence, but as the number of customers increased, now the entire space is used as a cafe." According to the CEO, 70 to 80 customers visit on weekdays and 200 to 300 on weekends, with more than half coming from outside Yesan. His wife, Silvia Hong, said, "We are not stopping at just a cafe; we hold flea markets and concerts to create cultural facilities lacking in rural areas," adding, "Our goal is to create a cultural space that is easily accessible to the people of Yesan."

In April 2020, the 'Ganyanggil Cafe' opened in a renovated hanok.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, there are a total of 65,000 vacant houses in rural areas as of 2023. Among these, 36,000 (56%) need to be demolished, while 29,000 (44%) are usable. The number of vacant houses continues to increase due to inheritance and relocation to other regions because of old age.

Minister Song emphasized, "To encourage voluntary vacant house registration, we have introduced incentives such as property tax reductions and penalties for non-compliance," adding, "In the second half of this year, we will push for the enactment of a special law on rural vacant houses to systematically promote their maintenance and regeneration." This special law will clearly define the roles of central and local governments, simplify maintenance procedures, ease regulations, and include special provisions and financial support for maintenance projects.

The Ministry plans to launch a 'Vacant House Bank' that provides information on vacant houses in two forms: for sale and for utilization. For-sale type collects basic information such as ▲vacant house owners (contact information) ▲building status (land area, structure, roof) ▲causes of vacancy and tax payment status through surveys, then collaborates with local governments and real estate associations to list vacant houses for sale and link them with private platforms for utilization. The utilization type connects local governments with private startups planning businesses using vacant houses, such as experience centers, lodging, commercial facilities, and consulting. The ministry matches local governments with startups and discovers projects eligible for support. Local governments provide vacant house information and support, while startups handle business planning and vacant house regeneration.

Minister Song said, "The government provides incentives to promote the utilization of vacant houses, but so far, financial support for private property has been viewed negatively," adding, "However, rural vacant houses can become resources that revitalize villages depending on how they are used, so a public approach to rural vacant houses is necessary."

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