Mountainous District Conversion Permit and Earth and Stone Extraction Permit Procedure

Procedure

Procedure

1. 01

   1. Check the district type and procedure — Check whether the land is a reserved mountainous district (forestry or public-interest) or a semi-reserved mountainous district, and whether it falls within an area where conversion and temporary use are restricted. Decide whether the project purpose is a use subject to a conversion report, whether a conversion permit is required, and whether a separate earth and stone extraction permit is needed. Where a conversion permit is deemed granted through a permit under another law, the mountainous district documents are submitted together with that application.

2. 02

   2. Identify the permitting authority — For reserved mountainous districts, the mayor, county head or district head grants the permit for under 30,000㎡, the Mayor/Do Governor for 30,000㎡ or more and under 1,000,000㎡, and the Minister of the Korea Forest Service for 1,000,000㎡ or more. For other districts, the same division applies at 500,000㎡ and 2,000,000㎡, and mountainous land in national forests under the Korea Forest Service goes to the Minister of the Korea Forest Service regardless of area. Change permits and change reports go to the authority that granted the original permit.

3. 03

   3. Prepare attachments and mark boundaries — Prepare the business plan, a topographic map showing cadastral lines, the survey map of the planned conversion site surveyed by a surveying business, the forest survey report (where trees exist and the area is 660㎡ or more), the elevation and average slope survey reports, and the restoration plan. For an area of 660㎡ or more and under 5,000㎡, a disaster risk review opinion may be needed, and for 5,000㎡ or more, documents for disaster impact assessment consultation. Before applying, mark the boundary of the permit area at intervals of 30 meters or less with white paint or similar markings.

4. 04

   4. Application, review and payment of the replacement forest resources creation cost — Once the conversion permit application is filed, the permitting authority conducts a field survey and reviews whether it meets the conversion permit standards. The replacement forest resources creation cost is the converted area multiplied by the unit amount determined and announced each year by the Minister of the Korea Forest Service, and it is paid within a period of 20 to 90 days from the date the payment notice is issued. The permitting authority issues the permit certificate after confirming payment of the cost and deposit of the restoration cost.

5. 05

   5. Earth and stone extraction permit and restoration — For extraction, the earth and stone extraction permit application is filed with the business plan, extraction area survey map, area calculation map of the extraction volume, restoration plan, access road design and other documents, and the permitting authority conducts a field survey followed by review by the local mountainous district management committee (except for soil extraction under 50,000㎡ and similar cases). The extraction period is set within 10 years. After conversion or extraction ends, the restoration design is approved, the land is restored and a restoration completion inspection is carried out.

Filing route

Filing route

Deadlines & processing notes

Deadlines & processing notes

Fees & official charges

Fees & official charges

Included in the basic fee — Initial document review, required-document guidance, basic form preparation, one filing support and one ordinary supplement.

Conditional success fee — For this service, any conditional success fee may be separately agreed within the lawful service scope and stated in a written engagement agreement. No outcome is guaranteed.

Displayed amounts are starting estimates, not statutory or standard rates. The final fee is confirmed after consultation and document review in the engagement agreement. Government fees and actual expenses may change.

Basic documents

Basic documents

Changing the form of mountainous land or using it for another purpose without a permit may be punished as unauthorized conversion, so obtain the permit certificate or report acceptance before starting work. The unit amount of the replacement forest resources creation cost is announced each year and the amount at the time of imposition applies, so recalculate with that year's announced amount when budgeting the project.