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Property Types

Lodging properties are facilities used for lodging businesses, and the Building Act specifies the scope of what constitutes a “lodging property”. However, under the Korean Standard Industrial Classification (KSIC), the lodging business also includes subcategories that utilize buildings with uses other than “lodging properties” as defined under the Building Act. In that case, what is included in the broader meaning of lodging properties?

Table of Contents
1. Lodging Properties in the Narrow Sense
Under the Korean Standard Industrial Classification (KSIC), the lodging business is defined as “an industrial activity that primarily provides various types of lodging facilities, campsites, and camping facilities to an unspecified number of members of the general public or to specific members, on a short-term basis (typically under contracts determined by the length of use)”. In other words, it can be described as a business that provides “space” for travelers to use on a temporary basis. Furthermore, the “space” provided by the lodging industry is commonly referred to as “lodging properties”.

The most direct definition of lodging properties is the one provided under the Building Act. The Building Act classifies buildings by use into 30 categories, and “lodging properties” are one of them. A building’s use classification—i.e., the category of building use—is a factor that determines what types of buildings may be constructed on a given parcel. For example, if a parcel is designated as a “residential zone,” it is highly likely that a “lodging property” will not be permitted.

Lodging Properties (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1, Item 15)

  1. General lodging properties and residential lodging properties (meaning facilities that are required to file a lodging business report pursuant to the main clause of Article 3(1) of the Public Health Control Act and that meet the requirements prescribed and publicly announced by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)
  2. Tourist lodging properties (tourist hotel, floating hotel, traditional hotel, family hotel, hostel, small hotel, medical hotel, and resort condo)
  3. Multi-living facilities (meaning those not falling under type 2 neighborhood living facilities)
  4. Other facilities similar to those in items 1 through 3

For multi-living facilities, they are treated as “lodging properties” only when they do not fall under type 2 neighborhood living facilities. Specifically, if the floor area used as a multi-living facility is less than 500 square meters, it falls under type 2 neighborhood living facilities; if it is 500 square meters or more, it falls under lodging properties.

Type 2 Neighborhood Living Facilities (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1, Item 4)

15. A multi-living facility (referring to a facility used for gosiwon operations among multi-use businesses under the Special Act on the Safety Management of Multi-use Businesses, which complies with the standards publicly notified by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as well as with building-ordinance standards—within the scope not conflicting with those notified standards—regarding minimum floor area per room, installation and size of windows, and other requirements necessary to create an appropriate residential environment; hereinafter the same shall apply) having a total floor area of less than 500 square meters, which is used for such purposes within the same building.
1) General and Residential Lodging Properties

In Korea, the law most broadly applicable to the lodging business is the Public Health Control Act, which applies to the operation of general lodging properties and residential lodging properties. The Public Health Control Act sets forth facility standards for covered lodging businesses as follows.

Facility and Equipment Standards by Type of Public Health Business (Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Control Act, Appendix Table 1)

I. General Standards
  1. A public health business establishment must be an independent place, or must be separated (meaning separated by walls, floors, etc.; hereinafter the same applies) or partitioned (meaning divided by partitions, curtains, etc.; hereinafter the same applies) from facilities and equipment used for purposes other than public health businesses.
  2. Notwithstanding item 1, in the following cases, the public health business establishment does not need to be separated or partitioned:
    • Where two or more types of beauty services corresponding to each sub-item of Article 2(1)5 of the Public Health Control Act are operated together (including cases where each service is separately reported under the name of the beauty business operator or jointly reported), all facility and equipment standards required for each business are satisfied, and each facility can be distinguished from one another by lines, ropes, etc.
    • Where a building sanitation management business is operated and the facilities, equipment, etc. necessary for business operations are stored in a space independent from the place of business
    • Where a lodging business is operated in part of a building and a reception desk, lobby facilities, stairs, elevators, entrances, etc. are used jointly
    • Other cases in which separation or partitioning is not required, as recognized by the Minister of Health and Welfare
II. Specific Standards
  1. Lodging Business
    • A residential lodging business must install cooking facilities and facilities for ventilation or windows. If cooking facilities are installed indoors, fixed cooking facilities must be installed in each room or in a communal cooking area.
    • A residential lodging business must install a bathroom or shower room in each guest room. However, a hostel business as prescribed under subparagraph M of item 2 of paragraph 1 of Article 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act may install shared bathrooms or shower rooms.
    • Where a lodging business is operated in part of a building, the guest rooms must comprise an independent floor, or there must be 30 or more guest rooms, or the floor area of the place of business must be at least one-third of the building’s total gross floor area. However, considering local circumstances, metropolitan cities, special metropolitan cities, special self-governing cities, provinces, and special self-governing provinces may relax the standards on the number of guest rooms and floor area by ordinance.

Residential Lodging Properties Must Have a Structure Meeting the Following Standards (Article 3 of the Residential Lodging Property Building Standards)

  1. Must conform to the equipment standards for residential lodging businesses prescribed in Appendix Table 1 of the Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Control Act.
  2. Installation of a front desk and lobby (including public restrooms).
  3. Installation of at least one linen room (for storing bedding, sheets, towels, etc.) per 30 rooms.
  4. Installation of food and beverage facilities (e.g., restaurants) for tourists.
  5. Introduction of a room management (control) system capable of checking room access control and security, to be included in the design documents.
  6. Where balconies are installed for each unit, they must be installed as open-to-the-outside platforms; and when installing balconies, safety facilities to prevent falls must be installed pursuant to Article 17(4) of the Rules on Standards, etc. for Evacuation and Fire Protection Structure of Buildings.

[New] On January 5, 2026, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced through a press release that a regulatory sandbox pilot project had been approved to relax the current reporting requirement for residential lodging businesses from a minimum of 30 guest rooms to just one guest room. Through this measure, it is expected that a substantial portion of lodging businesses that had been operating illegally through platforms such as Airbnb will be brought into the formal, legal system.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Control Act does not contain provisions specifically addressing yeogwan businesses, which constitute one of the subcategories under the KSIC for the operation of general and residential lodging properties. Yeogwan businesses and yeoinsuk businesses were originally included as subcategories of the lodging business under the former Public Health Act (the predecessor of the Public Health Control Act). However, when the Public Health Act was replaced by the Public Health Control Act, yeogwan businesses and yeoinsuk businesses were integrated into general lodging businesses.

[Deprecated] Facilities and Equipment Standards for Yeogwan Business (Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Act, Appendix Table 1)

I. Guestroom

  1. Must have at least 10 rooms (7 rooms in rural areas).
  2. Must have the following facilities and equipment:
    • Each room must have a floor area of at least 6 square meters (10 square meters for rural yeogwan).
    • Doors and windows must be equipped with locks.
    • Rural yeogwan must include cooking utensils, a sink, and a refrigerator in the rooms, as well as a kitchen with hot and cold water supply and ventilation facilities.
    • If bathrooms are installed in the rooms, they must be equipped with hot and cold water supply and flush toilets.

II. Other Facilities

  1. A reception desk must be installed.
  2. If a communal kitchen is provided, it must have:
    • Partitioned spaces to separate it from other rooms.
    • Insect-proof installations on doors, windows, and other openings.
    • A drainage system and a sewage tank outside.
    • Equipment must be installed to eliminate soot, vapor, and odors.
  3. If bathrooms are not provided in the rooms, communal facilities must include:
    • Separate communal bathrooms or shower facilities for men and women.
    • Separate flush toilets for men and women on each floor, except in areas without sewage systems where non-flush toilets can be installed away from the building.
    • Washbasins on each floor.
  4. According to building regulations, adequate lighting and ventilation facilities must be installed.
  5. Lighting, moisture-proofing, insect-proofing, and drainage facilities as specified by building regulations.

[Deprecated] Facilities and Equipment Standards for Yeoinsuk Business (Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Act, Appendix Table 1)

I. Guestroom

  1. The total floor area must be at least 33 square meters.
  2. Where a guest room is partitioned into individual rooms, the floor area of each room shall be at least 4 square meters.
  3. Entrances and windows must be equipped with locks.

II. Other Facilities

  1. The following facilities and equipment must be installed:
    • Shared baths or shower facilities.
    • Flush toilets. However, in areas without proper sewage systems, separate non-flush toilets may be installed separately for men and women away from the guestroom building.
    • Washbasins.
  2. If a communal kitchen is provided, it must have:
    • Partitioned from other rooms using walls or panels.
    • Insect-proof installations on doors, windows, and other openings.
    • A drainage system and a sewage tank outside.
    • Facilities to remove smoke, steam, and odors.
  3. According to building regulations, adequate lighting and ventilation facilities must be installed.
  4. Lighting, moisture-proofing, insect-proofing, and drainage facilities as specified by building regulations.
2) Tourist Lodging Properties

The facility standards for hotels and resort condos that qualify as tourist lodging properties are governed by the provisions of the Tourism Promotion Act. In general, the standards are primarily centered on the number of guest rooms and the types and scale of ancillary facilities.

Registration Criteria for Hotel Business (Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act, Appendix Table 1(2))
  1. Tourist Hotel Business
    • Must have at least 30 rooms equipped with bathrooms or shower facilities.
    • Must have a system in place to provide services to foreigners.
    • Must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and building. However, ownership must be secured if recruiting members.
  2. Floating Hotel Business
    • For the water surface where a floating hotel is located, an occupation permit shall be obtained from the competent managing authority in accordance with the Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act or the River Act.
    • Must have at least 30 rooms equipped with bathrooms or shower facilities.
    • Must have a system in place to provide services to foreigners.
    • Be equipped with sewage storage and treatment facilities and waste treatment facilities for the prevention of water pollution.
    • Securing ownership or usage rights of the structures and ships. However, ownership must be secured if recruiting members.
  3. Traditional Hotel Business
    • The exterior of the building must have the form of a traditional Korean house.
    • The hotel must have bathrooms or shower facilities for convenience of guests.
    • Must have a system in place to provide services to foreigners.
    • Must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and building. However, ownership must be secured if recruiting members.
  4. Family Hotel Business
    • Cooking facilities for use by family-unit tourists shall be installed in each guest room, or a communal kitchen shall be provided on each floor.
    • Must have at least 30 rooms equipped with bathrooms or shower facilities.
    • The area of each guestroom must be at least 19 square meters.
    • Must have a system in place to provide services to foreigners.
    • Must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and building. However, ownership must be secured if recruiting members.
  5. Hostel Business
    • Hostels must have guestrooms suitable for individual tourists such as backpackers.
    • Hostels must have amenities such as toilets, showers, and kitchens to ensure guest comfort. These facilities can be shared.
    • Hostels must have cultural and information exchange facilities to provide services to both foreign and domestic tourists.
    • Medical hotels must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and buildings.
  6. Small Hotel Business
    • The small hotel must have 20 to 30 rooms, each equipped with a bathroom or shower facilities.
    • The total area of amenities must not exceed 50% of the building’s total floor area.
    • The small hotel must have at least two types of amenities. Provided, however, that no singalong bar business under Article 21, Subparagraph 8, Item (c) of the Enforcement Decree of the Food Sanitation Act, entertainment bar business under Item (d) of the same subparagraph, nor facilities for speculative activities under Article 2, Subparagraph 1 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Regulation and Punishment of Speculative Activities, etc., shall be installed.
    • A system shall be in place to provide services to foreign tourists, including the provision of breakfast and the employment of staff proficient in foreign languages.
    • Must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and building. However, ownership must be secured if recruiting members.
  7. Medical Hotel Business
    • Each room must have cooking facilities that can be used by medical tourists, or communal kitchens must be installed on each floor.
    • There must be at least 20 rooms equipped with bathrooms or shower facilities.
    • The area of each guestroom must be at least 19 square meters.
    • Facilities where businesses are operated pursuant to Subparagraphs 13, 22, 23, and 26 of Article 9 of the Educational Environment Protection Act shall not be established as auxiliary facilities.
    • The hotel must have a system in place to facilitate convenient access for medical tourists.
    • A system shall be in place to provide services to foreign nationals, including the employment of personnel proficient in foreign languages.
    • Medical hotel properties (referring to facilities excluding medical institutions in cases where medical institutions are installed as auxiliary facilities of the medical hotel pursuant to Article 3(1) of the Medical Service Act) shall be separated from medical institution facilities. In this case, necessary matters concerning the separation shall be determined and publicly notified by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
    • Medical hotels must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and buildings.
    • To register as a medical hotel operator, the applicant must be a foreign patient-attracting medical institution or agency that meets the following criteria:
      1. For Foreign Patient-Attracting Medical Institutions:
        1. The aggregate number of patients for the preceding year (referring to the year immediately preceding the year in which the date of application for registration falls; hereinafter the same) or the aggregate number of patients for the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for registration shall exceed 500, when calculated based on the business performance reported to the Minister of Health and Welfare pursuant to Article 11 of the Act on Support for Overseas Medical Expansion and Attraction of Foreign Patients. (In cases where there are two or more medical institutions attracting foreign patients, ‘aggregate number of patients’ refers to the combined total of patients from each institution; hereinafter the same.) If located in Seoul, the number must exceed 3,000.
        2. In the case of a medical corporation pursuant to Article 33(2)3 of the Medical Service Act, it shall satisfy the requirements of (a) and shall not register jointly with a founder of another medical institution attracting foreign patients or with a facilitator.
        3. In cases where a non-profit corporation (limited to cases where it is a founder of a medical institution attracting foreign patients), for which the founder of a medical institution attracting foreign patients has contributed 30 percent or more of the assets for its establishment and has become the largest contributor, does not satisfy the criteria under (a), the said founder who is the largest contributor shall satisfy the criteria under (a).
      2. For Agencies:
        1. The actual number of patients (referring to the combined total of the actual number of patients in cases where two or more facilitators register jointly; hereinafter the same) for the preceding year or for the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for registration shall exceed 200, when calculated based on the business performance reported to the Minister of Health and Welfare pursuant to Article 11 of the Act on Supporting of Overseas Expansion of Medical Services and Attraction of International Patients.
        2. In cases where a corporation (limited to a facilitator), in which a founder of a medical institution attracting foreign patients holds 30 percent or more of the equity or shares and is the largest contributor, does not satisfy the criteria under (a), the said founder of the medical institution, who is the largest contributor, shall satisfy the criteria under (i) (a).
Registration Criteria for Resort Condo Business (Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act, Appendix Table 1(3))
  1. Guestroom
    • There must be at least 30 rooms within the same complex. Provided, however, that in the case of applying for registration pursuant to Article 3 (1) during the period from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, or from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, the number of guest rooms shall be 20 or more.
    • The facility must be equipped with the necessary amenities for tourists to cook, stay, and sleep. Provided, however, that in cases where cooking facilities such as a communal kitchen are provided outside the guest rooms for use by tourists, cooking facilities may not be installed in guest rooms within a limit of 30 percent of the total number of guest rooms (in the case of an urban area under Article 6, Subparagraph 1 of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act, if a ratio is determined by municipal ordinance within the range of not more than 30 percent of the total guest rooms, such ratio shall apply).
  2. Retail Shops, etc.: A convenience store or a simple retail stall shall be provided. If the complex consists of multiple buildings, a communal installation is acceptable.
  3. Cultural and Sports Spaces: Be equipped with at least one facility among performance halls, exhibition halls, art galleries, museums, swimming pools, tennis courts, soccer fields, basketball courts, or other cultural and sports spaces suitable for use by tourists. If the complex consists of multiple buildings, a communal installation is acceptable. However, resort condos within a tourist district, tourist complex, or general resort complex are not required to install these spaces.
  4. Must secure ownership or usage rights of the land and building. However, for unit sales or membership recruitment, ownership must be secured.
3) Multi-living Facility

In the case of multi-living facilities, namely gosiwons, they may fall under either type 2 neighborhood living facilities or lodging properties depending on the area in use; however, in either case, the following facility standards are commonly applied. Basically, the standards are focused on ensuring the safety of users.

A multi-living facility shall be a structure that qualifies as a gosiwon facility under the category of multi-use businesses pursuant to the Special Act on the Safety Control of Publicly Used Establishments, and shall have a structure that complies with each of the following standards. (Article 2 of the Building Standards for Multi-Living Facilities)

  1. Do not install cooking facilities or bathtubs in each room (showers are permitted).
  2. Multi-living facilities (excluding common facilities) should not be located in the basement.
  3. Each room should be equipped with facilities for studying (e.g., desks).
  4. Install common facilities within the facility (e.g., laundry rooms, lounges, cooking facilities).
  5. In floors above the second floor, if there is a window that can be opened (minimum 0.5 square meters) less than 1.2 meters from the floor, install a railing or similar safety feature at least 1.2 meters high to prevent falls.
  6. Minimum corridor widths should be 1.2 meters for single-loaded corridors and 1.5 meters for double-loaded corridors.
  7. For the prevention of noise between individual rooms, the structure shall comply with the standards for partition wall structures and related requirements prescribed in Article 19 of the Rules on Standards for Evacuation and Fire-Protection Structures of Buildings, as well as with the structural standards for preventing inter-floor impact noise.
  8. In order to prevent crime and to create a safe living environment, the building shall comply with the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) building standards.
2. Lodging Properties in the Broad Sense
Under the KSIC, there are subcategories of the lodging industry that use buildings designated for purposes other than lodging facilities under the Building Act. Representative examples include minbak businesses and campsite businesses. Minbak businesses use single-family houses or multi-family housing under the Building Act, while campsite businesses use campsite facilities as defined under the Building Act.
1) Single-Family House and Multi-Family Housing
Single-family house[Including family daycare centers, group homes, local children’s centers, community childcare rooms (referring to community childcare rooms under Article 19 of the Childcare Support Act; hereinafter the same), small libraries (referring to small libraries under Article 4, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 1 (a) of the Library Act, provided that they are installed on the first floor of the relevant house; hereinafter the same), and senior welfare facilities (excluding senior welfare housing) that take the form of a single-family house] (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1(1))
  1. Single-Family House
  2. Multi-unit houses: Houses that satisfy all of the following requirements:
    • Designed for long-term residence by multiple individuals, such as students or employees;
    • Do not constitute independent dwelling units (individual rooms may be equipped with bathrooms, but cooking facilities are not installed);
    • The total floor area used for residential purposes within a single building shall not exceed 660 square meters (excluding the area of accessory parking facilities; hereinafter the same shall apply), and the number of floors used for residential purposes shall be no more than three stories (excluding basement floors). However, where all or part of the first floor is constructed as a piloti structure and used as a parking area, and the remaining portion is used for purposes other than housing (limited to residential use), that floor shall be excluded from the count of residential floors.
    • Meet standards prescribed by local building ordinances regarding minimum room size, installation and size of windows, and other requirements necessary to ensure an appropriate residential environment.
  3. Multi-household houses: Houses that satisfy all of the following requirements and do not fall under the category of multi-family housing:
    • The number of floors used for housing purposes (excluding basement levels) does not exceed three. Where all or part of the first floor is constructed in a pilotis structure and used as a parking area, and the remaining portion is used for purposes other than housing (limited to residential use), such floor shall be excluded from the number of residential floors;
    • The total floor area used as housing in a single building does not exceed 660 square meters;
    • Capable of accommodating no more than 19 households (referring to the total number of households per building within the same site).
  4. Official Residence

Multi-family housing[Including family daycare centers, group homes, local children’s centers, community childcare rooms, small libraries, senior welfare facilities (excluding senior welfare housing), and apartment-type housing pursuant to Article 10 (1) 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Housing Act, which take the form of multi-family housing]. Provided, however, that when calculating the number of floors in Item 1 or 2, if the entire first floor is constructed in a piloti structure and used as a parking lot, the piloti portion shall be excluded from the number of floors; when calculating the number of floors in Item 3, if all or part of the first floor is constructed in a piloti structure and used as a parking lot while the remaining portion is used for purposes other than housing (limited to residential purposes), such floor shall be excluded from the number of floors of the house; and when calculating the number of floors under the provisions of Items 1 through 4, any basement floor shall be excluded from the number of floors of the house. (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1(2))

  1. Apartments: Housing buildings with five or more stories used for residential purposes.
  2. Row houses: Housing buildings with a total floor area exceeding 660 square meters per building (where two or more buildings are connected by an underground parking structure, each building is considered separately) and with four stories or fewer.
  3. Multi-family houses: Housing buildings with a total floor area of 660 square meters or less per building and with four stories or fewer (where two or more buildings are connected by an underground parking structure, each building is considered separately).
  4. Dormitory: A building that falls under any of the following and satisfies the standards for spatial composition, scale, etc., as determined and publicly notified by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; provided, however, that individual rooms under sectional ownership shall be excluded.
    • General dormitory: used for students or employees of a school or factory, etc., where households using common cooking facilities constitute 50% or more of total households (including student welfare housing under Article 27(2) of the Framework Act on Education)
    • Leased dormitory: used for rental business by a public housing project operator under the Special Act on Public Housing or a rental business operator under the Special Act on Private Rental Housing, where there are at least 20 rooms provided for rental purposes and households using common cooking facilities constitute 50% or more of total households
2) Rural Minbak

Among minbak businesses, rural minbak may use, among single-family houses under the Building Act, single-family houses and multi-household houses with a gross floor area of less than 230 square meters.

A person who intends to operate a rural minbak business must satisfy all of the following requirements. (Article 86(2) of the Agricultural and Fishing Villages Improvement Act)

  1. Must be a resident of a rural or semi-rural area.
  2. The person must have continuously resided for at least six (6) months in the relevant si/gun/gu having jurisdiction over the rural area or semi-rural area (excluding a person who has inherited a house that is being used for a rural minbak business).
  3. A single-family house in which the applicant resides, as defined under Article 2(2)1 of the Building Act (referring to single-family houses and multi-household houses as prescribed in Annex 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the same Act; hereinafter the same shall apply).
  4. The house must be a single-family house directly owned by the reporting person.

Scale and Facility Standards for Rural Minbak Businesses (Enforcement Rule of the Agricultural amd Fishing Villages Improvement Act, Appendix Table 3)

I. Scale of the business: a total residential floor area of less than 230 square meters. However, in the case of a dwelling designated as a designated cultural heritage under Article 2(2) of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, no limitation on scale shall apply.

II. Facility Standards

  1. Basic Facilities
    • Install a fire extinguisher, stand-alone alarm-type detector, and portable emergency light, as prescribed in Appendix Table 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Fire Prevention and Installation, Maintenance and Safety Control of Fire-Fighting Facilities.
    • If the gross floor area is 150 square meters or less, install guidance signs under Appendix Table 1 of the same Enforcement Decree; if the gross floor area exceeds 150 square meters, install evacuation-route guide lights, respectively, under the same table.
    • For buildings with a gross floor area exceeding 150 square meters and three (3) or more stories, install, from the third floor, an emergency descending device (evacuation apparatus) in each guest room, as prescribed in Appendix Table 1 of the same Enforcement Decree.
  2. Breakfast-Serving Facilities (only where breakfast is provided)
    • Provide facilities such as refrigerators for storing food ingredients.
    • If food is cooked, provide facilities to cook and wash hygienically.
    • Install ventilation facilities in the kitchen, unless natural ventilation is possible through windows.
    • Provide facilities capable of supplying tap water (meaning water supplied by a water supply system under Article 3(5) of the Water Supply and Waterworks Installation Act and by a small-scale water supply facility under Article 3(14) of the same Act) or groundwater meeting the drinking-water quality standards under Article 5 of the Drinking Water Management Act.

    ※ In addition to the requirements in items A through D above, additional facility standards may be separately prescribed by the mayor, county governor, or head of a district.

3) Urban Minbak and Hanok Stay

Meanwhile, within the category of minbak businesses, urban minbak may use, under the Building Act, single-family houses and multi-household houses among single-family housing, as well as apartments, row houses, and multi-family houses among multi-family housing, provided that the total floor area is less than 230 square meters. Meanwhile, hanok stay businesses must use hanok as defined under the Act on Value Enhancement of Hanok and Other Architectural Assets, regardless of the building-use classification under the Building Act, and likewise must operate within a total floor area of less than 230 square meters.

A foreign tourist urban minbak business means a business in which a resident of an urban area under Article 6(1) of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act (excluding rural areas and semi-rural areas under the Agricultural amd Fishing Villages Improvement Act; hereinafter the same in this Article) uses one of the following types of housing in which the resident resides to provide foreigners with appropriate facilities and offer lodging, meals, etc. so that foreign tourists may experience Korean home culture (including cases where, pursuant to an urban regeneration activation plan under Article 2(6) of the Special Act on the Promotion of and Support for Urban Regeneration, a village enterprise under Article 2(9) of the same Act provides lodging and meals primarily to foreign tourists and, to the extent that it does not interfere with foreign tourists’ use, provides lodging and meals to domestic tourists visiting the area so that they can experience the area’s distinctive culture). (Article 2(1)3(b) of the Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act)

  1. A single-family house or multi-household house under Appendix Table 1, Item 1(a) or 1(c) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act
  2. An apartment, row house, or multi-family house under Appendix Table 1, Item 2(a), 2(b), or 2(c) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act

Registration Standards for Tourist Convenience Facility Businesses (Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act, Appendix Table 1, Item 4)

F. Foreign Tourist Urban Minbak Business

  1. The total floor area of the house must be less than 230 square meters.
  2. The business must be capable of providing foreign language guide services.
  3. At least one fire extinguisher must be installed, and each guestroom must have standalone smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors (only if individual heating systems are installed).

G. Hanok Stay Business

  1. The hanok must be a hanok that conforms to standards prescribed and publicly announced by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport pursuant to Article 27 of the Act on the Promotion of Architectural Assets such as Hanoks; provided, however, that this does not apply to hanoks designated or registered as cultural heritage or natural heritage under the relevant laws on the preservation and use of cultural heritage, modern cultural heritage, or natural heritage, or hanoks registered as excellent architectural assets pursuant to Article 10 of the Act on Value Enhancement of Hanok and Other Architectural Assets.
  2. The total floor area of spaces used for lodging and convenience facilities must be less than 230 square meters. However, this does not apply to hanoks that meet any of the following conditions:
    • Hanoks designated or registered as cultural heritage or natural heritage under the relevant laws
    • Hanoks registered as excellent architectural assets pursuant to Article 10 of the Act on Value Enhancement of Hanok and Other Architectural Assets
    • Hanoks in a hanok village, traditional houses (gotaek), and other hanoks prescribed by ordinance of a special self-governing city, special self-governing province, si/gun/gu, etc.
  3. Convenience facilities such as bathrooms or showers must be provided to prevent inconvenience of guests during lodging experiences.
  4. At least one fire extinguisher must be installed inside or around guestrooms, and if lodging experiences are provided, each guestroom must be equipped with standalone fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors (applicable only if heating equipment is installed individually).
  5. Where cooking facilities are installed, they must be installed and managed in compliance with the standards under the City Gas Business Act, the Act on the Safety Control of and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, the Act on Fire Prevention and Safety Control, the Act on the Installation and Management of Fire-Fighting Facilities, and other relevant laws and regulations.
  6. Facilities must be provided to supply tap water (as defined under Article 3(5) of the Water Supply and Waterworks Installation Act and Article 3(14) of the same Act) or other drinking water that meets the drinking-water quality standards under Article 5(3) of the Drinking Water Management Act.
  7. A system must be in place to disinfect guest rooms, reception desks, lobby facilities, corridors, stairs, bathrooms, shower facilities, wash facilities, and toilets at least once per month.
  8. Conditions must allow for regular cleaning of guestrooms and bathrooms and regular washing of bedding.
  9. Facilities for ventilation must be provided. However, this does not apply if natural ventilation is possible through windows.
  10. The raw water for bathrooms must meet the bath-water quality standards under Article 4(2) of the Public Health Control Act.
  11. A manager capable of managing the hanok must be present during business hours.
  12. If lodging experiences are provided, a rate chart must be posted at the reception desk or on the website, and the posted rates must be observed.
4) Campsite

Campsite businesses are a subcategory of the lodging business under the KSIC; however, the facilities they use are campsite facilities, not lodging properties as defined under the Building Act. In fact, because campsites in principle provide land rather than buildings, the scope of application of the Building Act is limited. Ancillary structures provided for users’ convenience—such as management buildings, restrooms, shower facilities, shelters, and cooking facilities—are subject to the Building Act.

Campsite Facilities (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1, Item 29)

Facilities operated as campsites under the Tourism Promotion Act, where the total floor area used for purposes such as management buildings, restrooms, shower facilities, shelters, and cooking facilities is less than 300 square meters.
C. Campsite Business (Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act, Appendix Table 1, Item 4)
  1. Common Standards
    • It must be located in a safe area with no risk of flooding, erosion, isolation, landslides, or falling rocks.
    • A facility layout, usage instructions, and emergency response guidelines must be posted in a visible location for users.
    • Facilities or equipment must be provided to alert users in case of an emergency.
    • Adequate fire extinguishers must be secured and placed in visible locations, considering the size of the campsite.
    • Evacuation shelters and routes must be secured inside or outside the campsite to prepare for emergencies.
    • Managers familiar with emergency response procedures must be present during the open hours of the campsite.
    • Campsite facilities must be installed with minimal alteration to the natural ecosystem and landscape. The types of facilities that can be installed in the campsite are determined by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
    • The total floor area of buildings installed within the campsite (referring to buildings as defined under Article 2(1)2 of the Building Act; hereinafter the same shall apply in this subparagraph) shall be less than 10 percent of the total area of the campsite. However, this shall not apply where a campsite business is to be operated by utilizing facilities that were used for educational activities and other assets (hereinafter referred to as “closed-school property”) of a school as defined under Article 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that has been closed due to reasons such as a decline in student numbers or school consolidation, provided that there is no increase in the site area of the existing closed-school property.
    • Notwithstanding items G and H, where a campsite is to be established in a Conservation Management Area under Article 36(1)2(a) of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act or in a Conservation Green Area under Article 30(4)(a) of the Enforcement Decree of the same Act, all of the following requirements shall be satisfied. However, where a campsite business is to be operated by utilizing closed-school property (limited to cases in which there is no increase in the site area of the existing closed-school property), and no new construction or extension of buildings is undertaken and no new road is constructed or expanded to access the campsite entrance, the standards set forth in items 1) and 2) shall not apply.
      • The total area of the campsite must be less than 10,000 square meters.
      • The total floor area of buildings installed in the campsite must be less than 300 square meters and less than 10% of the total campgsite area.
      • Where a campgsite is located within a drainage district under Article 15(1) of the Sewerage Act, when the use of a public sewer system commences pursuant to Article 27 of the same Act, sewage from the drainage district must be introduced into the public sewer system; provided, however, that this does not apply where Article 28 of the Sewerage Act applies.
      • The campsite boundary must be landscaped to minimize environmental and landscape impact.
      • The campsite must be designed to prevent damage such as slope collapse and soil erosion.
  2. Specific Standards
    • General Campsite Business
      • The space for setting up camping tents must be at least 15 square meters per tent.
      • Sewerage facilities and toilets must be available to prevent inconvenience for campers.
      • Roads must be secured to transport users in case of emergencies.
    • Auto Campsite Business
      • A camping space of at least 50 square meters per vehicle (a space where a vehicle can be parked and camping equipment can be set up next to it) should be provided.
      • Must be equipped with water and sewer facilities, electrical facilities, toilets, and cooking facilities appropriate for the capacity so that camping is not inconvenient.
      • Must secure at least a one-lane road up to the campsite entrance; where only a one-lane road is secured, must also secure, at appropriate locations, spaces where vehicles can pass each other.
  3. Special Provisions on the Standards in 1 and 2
    • Notwithstanding 1 and 2, where a campground business is to be operated meeting both requirements i and ii below, the standards in B and C apply:
      • Where a campsite business is to be operated only for a period of up to four (4) months per year at a beach under Article 2(1) of the Act on the Use and Management of Beaches, or at an amusement park under Article 2(1)2 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Land Planning and Utilization Act; and
      • Where the land form is not altered for the purpose of registering the campground business.
    • Common Standards
      • It must be located in a safe area with no risk of flooding, erosion, isolation, landslides, or falling rocks.
      • A facility layout, usage instructions, and emergency response guidelines must be posted in a visible location for users.
      • Facilities or equipment must be provided to alert users in case of an emergency.
      • Adequate fire extinguishers must be secured and placed in visible locations, considering the size of the campsite.
      • Evacuation routes must be secured for emergencies.
      • Managers familiar with emergency response procedures must be present during the open hours of the campsite.
    • Specific Standards
      • General Campsite Business
        • The space for setting up camping tents must be at least 15 square meters per tent.
        • Sewerage facilities and toilets must be available to prevent inconvenience for campers.
        • Roads must be secured to transport users in case of emergencies.
      • Auto Campsite Business
        • A camping space of at least 50 square meters per vehicle (a space where a vehicle can be parked and camping equipment can be set up next to it) should be provided.
        • The facilities shall be equipped with usable water supply and sewage systems, electrical facilities, toilets, and cooking facilities so as not to cause any inconvenience to camping activities.
        • A single-lane or wider road should be secured to the entrance of the campsite. If a single-lane road is used, adequate passing areas for vehicles must be provided at suitable locations.
5) Training Facility

The youth training facility operation does not fall under the lodging business as defined by the KSIC, nor are the facilities used classified as lodging properties under the Building Act. However, the nature of their business operations overlaps in certain respects with those of the lodging business. The youth training facility operation is classified as a subcategory of education services under the KSIC, and the facilities used are categorized as training facilities under the Building Act.

Training Facility (Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, Appendix Table 1 (12))

  1. Neighborhood-based training facilities (meaning youth training halls, youth cultural centers, youth-specialized facilities, and other similar facilities pursuant to the Youth Activity Promotion Act).
  2. Nature-based training facilities (meaning youth training centers, youth campsites, and other similar facilities pursuant to the Youth Activity Promotion Act).
  3. Youth Hostels pursuant to the Youth Activity Promotion Act
  4. Campsite facilities under the Tourism Promotion Act that do not fall under Item 29.

Facility Standards for Training Facilities (Appendix Table 3 of the Enforcement Rule of the Youth Activity Promotion Act)

  1. Youth Training Center
    • Dormitory
      • Must accommodate at least 100 people.
      • Each dormitory room should not exceed a capacity of 10 people.
    • Dining hall: Must be capable of providing meals simultaneously to at least 30 percent of the accommodation capacity of the residential building.
    • Indoor assembly hall: Must be capable of accommodating at least 50 percent of the accommodation capacity of the residential building.
    • Outdoor assembly area: Must be capable of accommodating at least 60 percent of the accommodation capacity of the residential building.
    • Sports activity area: Must install either an indoor sports facility with a gross floor area of at least 100 square meters, or an outdoor sports facility with a gross floor area of at least 1,500 square meters.
    • Training forest: Must have a gross floor area of at least 1,000 square meters.
    • Classrooms: At least one (1) classroom must be installed.
    • Specialized training activity facilities: At least one (1) of the following facilities must be selected and installed: a theater, performance hall, music listening room, exhibition hall, computer room, science practice facility, nature observation facility, astronomical observation facility, culinary practice facility, fish and wildlife breeding facility, volunteer information and utilization center, volunteer experience–linked network exploration facility, water/marine/aviation training facility, agricultural training facility, mountain biking course, pioneering installation training ground, rock climbing facility, employment information center, vocational education facilities, international exchange center (including international conference rooms, reception rooms, meeting rooms, and friendship exchange rooms), learning and information center (such as a youth education information center), or a language practice room.
    • Instructor office: At least one (1) office must be installed.
    • Lounge: At least one (1) must be installed.
    • Emergency Equipment
      • Must be equipped with emergency lighting or equipment.
      • Must be equipped with emergency water supply facilities.
    • Other facilities: broadcasting equipment, infirmary, and storage facilities.
    • Dormitory Capacity: Refers to the appropriate number of people who can be accommodated at one time in the dormitory.
  2. Youth Campsite
    • Camping area: Must be capable of accommodating at least 100 campers.
    • Outdoor assembly area: Must be capable of accommodating at least 40 percent of the authorized capacity.
    • Shelter Facilities
      • Must be installed to provide refuge during sudden disasters such as heavy rain or snow. If other facilities can serve as a shelter, additional shelter facilities may not be necessary.
      • The structure of the shelter must protect against wind and rain.
    • Sports activity area: Must install an outdoor sports facility with a gross floor area of at least 1,000 square meters.
    • Emergency Equipment
      • Must have emergency lighting or equipment to facilitate smooth evacuation from the camping site to shelter facilities.
      • Must secure means of communication to contact shelter facilities or the management office from the camping site.
    • Camping Capacity: Refers to the appropriate number of campers that can simultaneously camp at the site.
  3. Youth Hostel
    • Guestrooms
      • Each room should accommodate no more than 10 people, and the total number of double or smaller rooms should not exceed 40% of the total accommodation capacity.
      • Family rooms may be provided for families accompanying youth. In this case, the total capacity of the family rooms should not exceed 30% of the total accommodation capacity.
    • Dialogue and information room: Must be arranged so that it can provide travel and cultural information and be used as a space for meetings and interaction.
    • Self-catering kitchen: Must be equipped with at least one (1) set of cooking facilities per 50 persons of accommodation capacity. However, the total number should not exceed five sets.
    • Lounge: At least one (1) must be installed.
    • Instructor office: At least one (1) office must be installed.
    • Heating facilities: Must be equipped with heating systems.
    • Emergency Equipment
      • Must be equipped with emergency lighting or equipment.
      • An emergency water supply facility must be installed.
    • Other facilities: Must be equipped with broadcasting equipment and storage facilities for supplies.
    • Accommodation Capacity: This refers to the appropriate number of people who can be accommodated simultaneously in the guestrooms.
6) Quasi-housing

Meanwhile, dormitories that fall under multi-family housing pursuant to the Building Act are not included in multi-family housing as defined under the Housing Act. Under the Housing Act, dormitories, multi-living facilities, elderly welfare housing, and officetels are classified separately as quasi-housing.

Quasi-housing means buildings other than housing, together with their appurtenant land, that are capable of being used as residential facilities, the scope and types of which shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree. (Article 2(4) of the Housing Act)

The types and scope of quasi-housing under Article 2(4) of the Housing Act are as follows. (Article 4 of the Enforcement Decree of the Housing Act)

  1. Dormitories pursuant to Appendix Table 1, Item 2(d) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act.
  2. Multi-living facilities* pursuant to Appendix Table 1, Item 4(h) and Item 15(d) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act.
  3. Senior welfare housing among senior welfare facilities pursuant to Appendix Table 1, Item 11(b) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act, as referred to in Article 32(1)3 of the Welfare of Senior Citizens Act.
  4. Officetels pursuant to Appendix Table 1, Item 14(b)2) of the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act.

* Including multi-occupancy living facilities that fall under type 2 neighborhood living facilities and multi-occupancy living facilities that fall under lodging facilities.

A dormitory is a building in which individual rooms may not be separately owned, and is classified as follows pursuant to each of the following categories. (Article 2 of the Dormitory Building Standards)
  1. General Dormitories must comply with all of the following:
    • Personal spaces within a dormitory (spaces in which individuals reside, such as bedrooms; hereinafter the same) shall not be located in basement levels.
    • Toilets, wash and bathing facilities, daylighting and ventilation systems, and heating and cooling equipment or devices shall be appropriately provided.
    • In floors of two stories or higher, where operable windows of at least 0.5 square meters are installed at portions not exceeding 1.2 meters above the floor, safety railings or equivalent fall-prevention facilities with a height of at least 1.2 meters shall be installed at those locations.
    • Minimum corridor widths shall be at least 1.2 meters for single-loaded corridors and 1.8 meters for double-loaded corridors.
    • For the prevention of noise between individual rooms, the structure shall comply with the standards for partition wall structures and related requirements prescribed in Article 19 of the Rules on Standards for Evacuation and Fire-Protection Structures of Buildings, as well as with the structural standards for preventing inter-floor impact noise.
  2. Leased Dormitories must comply with all of the following:
    • The standards set forth in Article 2(1), subparagraph 1, items A through M.
    • Individual living spaces shall be based on single occupancy, and shall not exceed a maximum of three occupants per room.
    • The area of shared spaces excluding personal spaces (meaning spaces within a rental dormitory that are jointly used by multiple residents—such as living rooms, kitchens, and shared bathrooms—excluding corridors, stairs, elevators, and parking areas used for movement; hereinafter the same) shall be secured at not less than the area specified below, taking into account the accommodation capacity. In addition, the combined area of personal spaces and shared spaces shall be at least 14 square meters per person (the required areas of personal spaces and shared spaces shall be calculated based on the inner line of the building’s exterior walls; hereinafter the same).
      Occupancy
      Shared Spaces
      Less than 150 people
      4㎡/capita
      150~300 people
      600㎡ + People over 150 X 3.5㎡/capita
      300 – 500 people
      1,125㎡ + People over 300 X 3㎡/capita
      More than 500 people
      1,725㎡ + People over 500 X 2.5㎡/capita
    • Each room shall be equipped with at least one window and one door, and all windows and entrances shall be fitted with appropriate locking devices.
    • The size of windows in each room shall be at least one-tenth of the floor area, allowing for natural daylighting and ventilation.
    • The minimum individual living area shall be at least 7 square meters per occupant. Separately, any bathroom installed within the individual living space shall have an area of at least 2.5 square meters. (Areas shall be calculated based on the interior line of the exterior walls.)
    • At least one side of the individual living space shall have a length of 2.2 meters or more (measured from the interior line of the exterior walls).
    • In addition to living rooms and kitchens, shared spaces shall include multipurpose rooms, hobby rooms, or similar facilities to support communal living among residents.
    • In shared bathrooms (excluding bathrooms installed within individual living spaces), washbasins and toilets shall be installed separately, taking into account the number of residents.
    • The entire leased dormitory within the building shall be operated and managed under a unified management entity.
    • Taking into account the parking capacity and traffic conditions of the relevant building, the facility shall be operated by imposing restrictions on vehicle ownership or parking during the lease period as eligibility requirements for tenants, in order to prevent parking congestion in surrounding areas.

Single-family housing, multi-family housing, and quasi-housing under the Housing Act are included within private rental housing. Accordingly, dormitories and gosiwons that fall under quasi-housing may be registered and operated as a residential building leasing business. In particular, multi-living facilities with a floor area of 500 square meters or more—namely, gosiwon—are the only lodging properties under the Building Act that may be registered and operated as a residential building leasing business.

“Private rental housing” means housing provided for lease purposes (including housing constructed on leased land, and quasi-housing prescribed by Presidential Decree such as officetels, as well as housing for which only a portion is leased, as prescribed by Presidential Decree; hereinafter the same) that is registered by a rental business operator pursuant to Article 5, and is classified into privately constructed rental housing and privately purchased rental housing. (Article 2(1) of the Special Act on Private Rental Housing)

“Rental business operator” means a person other than a public housing project operator under Article 4(1) of the Special Act on Public Housing (hereinafter referred to as a “public housing project operator”) who is registered pursuant to Article 5 for the purpose of conducting a business of leasing one or more units of private rental housing that the person has acquired. (Article 2(7) of the Special Act on Private Rental Housing)

Lobin Co. | Business Registration #: 493-86-02766 | Mail-order Reporting #: 2023-Seoul-Seongdong-0187 | Email: project@lobin.co | Phone: +82-2-6403-9423 | Fax: +82-2-6008-9420 | Address: #4121 SOL623 Bldg, 25 Sangwon 1-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul | Hosting: AWS | FTC Verification

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Access Request for Data Dashboard 2024

Data Dashboard 2024 provides detailed data for 17 metro markets by establishment type, visualized through Microsoft Power BI.

※ You can use Data Dashboard without extra charges before expiration of the existing access period, if 2025 data is updated during the access period.

Data Source

  • GDP: GDP, Current $US (World Bank Open Data)
  • Establishments: Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS)
  • Rooms: Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS)
  • Lodging GDP: Value Added by Industry (BEA), National Accounts (Cabinet Office), GDP of Indonesia (BPS), GDP & GNI by Sector (BOK), Economic Census (KOSIS)
  • Period: 2017-2021

※ In Korea, general & residential accommodations are included while rural & urban minbaks are excluded. Comparable countries are selected based upon availability of lodging GDP statistics for all types of accommodations.

Data Source

  • Population: Population, Total (World Bank Open Data)
  • GDP: GDP, Current $US (World Bank Open Data)
  • Rooms: Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS)
  • Lodging GDP: Value Added by Industry (BEA), National Accounts (Cabinet Office), GDP of Indonesia (BPS), GDP & GNI by Sector (BOK), Economic Census (KOSIS)
  • Period: 2017-2021

※ In Korea, general & residential accommodations are included while rural & urban minbaks are excluded. Comparable countries are selected based upon availability of lodging GDP statistics for all types of accommodations.

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※ Messages intended for defamation or obstruction of business by Lobin Co. and /or other third parties, or containing content that is obscene, violent or unrelated to Lobin Co.’s business, will automatically be blocked by the system and not delivered to the administrator.

Data Source

  • Korea: Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS), Tourist Accommodation Ledger (MCST)
  • USA: Census Database (STR)
  • Period: As at the end of 2021

※ General & residential accommodations other than rural and urban minbaks asre included for Korea. Life cycle was calculated as of December 31, 2021 or actual closure date. If there exists a discrepancy between data sources for an establishment, the discrepancy was settled through an algorithm before use.

Data Source

  • Korea: Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS), Tourist Accommodation Ledger (MCST), Economic Census (KOSIS), Hotel Operating Statistics (KHA), DART (FSS), Trends Report (STR)
  • USA: Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Census Database (STR), Trends Report (STR)
  • Period: 2005-2021

※ General & residential accommodations other than rural and urban minbaks asre included for Korea. Visibility was calculated as the number of establishments for which revenue data is available divided by the total number of establishments. If there exists a discrepancy between data sources for an establishment, the discrepancy was settled through an algorithm before use.

Data Source

  • Guests(Korea): Domestic Traveler Survey (MCST), International Traveler Survey (MCST), Hotel Operating Statistics (KHA)
  • Rooms(Korea): Lodging Business Ledger (MOIS), Tourist Accommodation Ledger (MCST)
  • Guests(USA): Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Trends Report (STR)
  • Rooms(USA): Compendium of Tourism Statistics (UNWTO), Census Database (STR)
  • Period: 2005-2020

※ General & residential accommodations other than rural and urban minbaks asre included for Korea. If there exists a discrepancy between data sources for an establishment, the discrepancy was settled through an algorithm before use.