South Korea cabinet approves five-year full survey of public property
In short
South Korea's cabinet approved a revision to the Public Property and Goods Management Act that would require a full survey of state and local government property every five years. The amendment also lets the interior ministry analyse local governments' property management annually, publish the results and build an integrated property information system. A 2024–2025 pilot survey that cross-checked property ledgers against three public registers identified about 157,000 cases worth some 20 trillion won, the Dong-A Ilbo reported.
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South Korea's cabinet approved a revision to the Public Property and Goods Management Act on October 6 that would require a full survey of public property every five years, according to reports by Yonhap and the Dong-A Ilbo. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the amendment was passed at the cabinet meeting. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The revision would give the interior minister a legal basis to analyse and diagnose how local governments manage public property each year, with the results made public. That work could be delegated to a specialised institution designated by presidential decree, according to the Dong-A Ilbo and Yonhap. [ 2 , 3 ]
The amendment also covers building an integrated public property information system that would combine data local governments previously managed separately and link it to spatial information. It further simplifies the procedures for exempting usage and rental fees on public property used for disaster recovery and relief, removing the requirement for a review by the Public Property Deliberation Committee and local council consent, Yonhap reported. [ 3 ]
The Dong-A Ilbo reported that a pilot version of the full survey carried out in 2024 and 2025 compared public property ledgers with three official registers — real estate registration, land records and building records — and identified about 157,000 cases worth around 20 trillion won. The stated purpose of the survey is to find property missing from the ledgers, sort out unregistered assets and look for ways to use idle property. [ 2 ]
Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung said “data-based scientific management is the key” for public property, adding that the ministry would improve the system so that property in blind spots is reorganised and used for the public and local communities, according to Yonhap. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The measure gives the central government a standing legal basis to track property held by local governments, which the documents present as a way to find assets left out of existing ledgers. It also centralises property data that local governments previously kept separately, and simplifies the procedures for waiving fees on public property used for disaster recovery and relief.
Key facts
- The cabinet approved a revision to the Public Property and Goods Management Act at a meeting on October 6, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The amendment creates a legal basis for a full survey of all public property held or managed by local governments every five years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The interior minister would be able to analyse and diagnose local governments' public property management every year, with results made public. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The analysis and diagnosis work can be delegated to a specialised institution designated by presidential decree. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The amendment covers building an integrated public property information system linked to spatial information. [ 3 ]
- Procedures for exempting usage and rental fees on public property for disaster recovery and relief — a review by the Public Property Deliberation Committee and local council consent — were simplified. [ 3 ]
- A 2024–2025 pilot survey compared property ledgers with real estate registration, land and building registers and identified about 157,000 cases worth around 20 trillion won. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The cabinet approved the amendment to the public property management law on October 6. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A full survey of public property is to be conducted every five years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The interior minister is to be given a legal basis to analyse and diagnose local governments' property management annually, with the results disclosed. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the amendment still needs National Assembly approval before taking effect. The documents say only that the cabinet approved the revision bill; they do not describe the next legislative step.
- The systems and exact design of the integrated public property information system. Only one document mentions it, and without details on timing or scope.
- The full accounting of the pilot survey results. The Dong-A Ilbo summary states the pilot identified about 157,000 cases and 20 trillion won but the sentence is cut off in the source text.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis publishes its report on the five-year full survey of public property. [ 1 ]
- The Dong-A Ilbo reports the cabinet approved the amendment and cites pilot survey findings. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the cabinet decision, including the integrated information system and the interior minister's remarks. [ 3 ]