MOLIT to Ease Noise and Setback Regulations...Overhauls Noise Measurement Standards System

Abolition of Site Area Limits for Alternative Noise Standards
Rationalization of Separation Distance Standards for Noise-Emitting Facilities

The government has decided to improve regulations on noise measurement standards applied to housing construction, including noise measurement and separation distances, in order to revitalize housing supply.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 9th that, starting on the 10th, it will issue a legislative notice of the draft amendment to the Regulation on Housing Construction Standards, etc. for 40 days and promote consultations with relevant agencies.

The amendment includes measures to rationalize regulations related to noise measurement standards applied during housing construction. Under the current law, for apartment housing complexes with a site area of less than 300,000 square meters, the measurement standard applied to upper floors (6th floor and above) may be replaced with indoor noise (45 dB) instead of outdoor noise (65 dB). Through this regulatory revision, the government plans to abolish the site area limit for housing complexes to which the alternative noise standard can be applied and to expand the scope of application of the indoor-noise substitution provision.

The criteria for calculating the separation distance between apartment housing complexes and noise-emitting facilities will also be rationalized. Previously, when building apartment housing near factories with noise-emitting facilities, regulations uniformly required a separation distance of at least 50 meters from the factory site boundary, making it difficult to construct housing even in cases where actual noise damage was expected to be minor. To resolve this issue, the government has decided to improve the regulations so that, if a sufficient distance (50 meters or more) is secured between the noise-emitting facility itself and the factory boundary, the separation distance between the factory boundary and the apartment housing can be adjusted to as little as 25 meters.

In addition, in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the government will push for a revision of the environmental impact assessment guidelines. In line with the amendment to the Special Act on Public Housing, it plans to establish a framework under which noise standards under housing-related laws can also be taken into account when conducting environmental impact assessments for housing construction projects.

Furthermore, the government will revise regulations related to essential community facilities so that, if public libraries or similar facilities have already been installed in nearby areas, the obligation to install small libraries within the housing complex can be applied more flexibly.

Kim Kyuchul, Director General for Housing and Land at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "By overhauling these regulations, we will reduce unnecessary burdens in the field and establish a foundation for smooth housing supply," adding, "We will continue to supplement the system to improve supply conditions in ways that the public can tangibly feel."

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