Seogwipo City to reduce building permit processing time to 31 days

Seogwipo City has announced a new plan to shorten the average processing time for building permits, aiming to reduce the duration to within 31 days by 2026. This follows a trend of continuous reduction from 36.6 days in 2024 and 33 days in 2025.

The initiative aims to address issues such as repetitive consultations, delays caused by unpaid fees, and a lack of information regarding permit status. Key improvements include directly notifying building owners of their application status and requirements to minimize communication gaps between architects and owners.

To streamline the process, the city will utilize conditional permits for matters that do not directly impact the core permit approval, such as road occupation or drainage facilities, moving the verification of these conditions to the construction commencement stage. Additionally, for permits involving farmland or mountain areas, the city will provide advance text notifications regarding expected fees and payment procedures to prevent financial delays.

Seogwipo City will also implement a management system for long-term complaints, designating any application delayed by more than 20 days as a priority for weekly progress reviews. Oh Seong-han, Director of the Safety City Construction Bureau, stated that these reforms are intended to improve administrative efficiency and increase citizen satisfaction by reducing unnecessary procedures.