Pocheon City Implements 'Administrative Enforcement of Illegal Structures'

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province (City Mayor Kim Jong-cheon) conducted administrative enforcement on September 1st on barriers among illegal temporary structures set up at the entrance of Wangbang Village in Shinbuk-myeon to obstruct access, which a landowner claimed to be his own land. The enforcement excluded the main facilities of the illegal access control structures.

The landowner had exploited the fact that administrative measures by authorities on illegal structures typically take several months to implement. However, the city applied special provisions under the Building Act that allow for rapid demolition without administrative procedures for structures that significantly impede road traffic. Consequently, the entry and exit barriers directly obstructing resident passage were demolished, resolving access difficulties for residents.

Despite staffing shortages and insufficient budgets allocated for guidance and supervision of illegal structures—creating difficult working conditions—city officials from the Architecture Department directly carried out the demolition to provide proactive administration for residents.

Regarding the remaining illegal structures that do not directly obstruct passage, special provisions cannot be applied. The city will proceed through appropriate administrative procedures including remedial orders, and if they are not voluntarily demolished, the responsible parties will be referred to judicial authorities. However, the administrative procedures present ongoing challenges due to the several months typically required for completion.