Construction Regulations

[Anchor Lead]

The so-called gosiwon, which refers to a type of accommodation consisting of tiny, single units, is a frequent housing option for low-income earners. The Seoul metropolitan government will establish new safety and construction standards to improve the living environment in gosiwon facilities.

[Pkg]

​This tiny room, which looks too narrow even for one person to lie down, is filled with a bed, a desk and a refrigerator. At old Gosiwons consisting of low-cost tiny units, rooms measure nine square meters at best. Smaller ones are three square meters in size at worst.

[Soundbite] (Gosiwon Resident(Voice Modified)) : "I just accept and endure the inconveniences, as rents are cheap. Gosiwon rooms are similar to this in size."

The Seoul city government has devised new rules on the living conditions of Gosiwon facilities.
According to these new measures, units at Gosiwons have to be at least seven square meters in size and each of them must have a window. Seoul city will ask the central government to revise related laws and to apply the new rules to Gosiwons that will be built in the future.

[Soundbite] Kim Seong-bo(Seoul City Gov't) : "The Seoul city government will implement the new Gosiwon residential standards first. They will become compulsory regulations when the central government revises related laws."

The city government will set aside more funds to install sprinklers at existing old Gosiwons as part of efforts to enhance their safety. In the case of worn-out Gosiwons with many vacant rooms, it will transform them into shared housing accommodations. The Seoul city government will also provide monthly housing subsidies worth 50,000 won to Gosiwon residents.