On September 19, 2025, the Gyeonggi-do Council passed a proposed partial amendment to the Ordinance on Creating Safe and Stable Environment in Response to Rampant Proliferation of Logistics Warehouses (the “Proposed Amendment”) to ensure clarity and consistency in the permitting criteria for logistics warehouses located in Gyeonggi-do.
According to the press release in April 2025, the Gyeonggi-do government (i) enacted and distributed to 31 cities and counties in Gyeonggi-do the “Guidelines on Standard Permitting Criteria for Construction of Logistics Warehouses,” which requires logistics warehouses with a site area of at least 4,500 m2 or a gross floor area of at least 1,000 m2 to be located at least 500 m away from the site boundaries of the noise-sensitive facilities. This measure was taken considering that new logistics warehouses have concentrated in Gyeonggi-do, with many built even near noise-sensitive facilities, including residential areas, schools and hospitals.
The purpose of the “Standard Permitting Criteria for Logistics Warehouses” set forth in the Annex to the Proposed Amendment is (i) to provide guidance for policies aimed at preventing the rampant construction of logistics warehouses that is currently occurring in the cities and counties of the province, and (ii) to recommend that the permitting standards for logistics warehouses be established in the urban planning ordinance of each city and county with provisions allowing partial relaxation of the above guidelines.
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1. |
Key Details of Standard Permitting Criteria for Logistics Warehouses in Gyeonggi-do |
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Scope of Application: Logistics warehouses with a site area of at least 4,500 m2 or a gross floor area of at least 1,000 m2, as set forth in Article 21-2 of the Act on the Development and Operation of Logistics Facilities.
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Restriction on site size by use area: The site size for the logistics warehouses requiring a development permit is differentiated by each zoning category as follows:
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Target Area |
Site Size Subject to Permit for Development Activities |
Restriction on Site Size for Logistics Warehouses |
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Urban Areas |
Residential Area |
Class 1/ class 2 exclusive residential area |
Less than 10,000m2 |
Not possible to construct |
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Class 1/ class 2 general residential area |
Less than 4,500m2 |
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Class 3 general residential area |
Less than 4,500m2 |
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Quasi-residential area |
Less than 4,500m2 |
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Commercial Area |
Central commercial area |
Less than 4,500m2 |
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General commercial area, neighboring commercial area, commercial area for distribution |
Less than 10,000m2 |
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Natural green area/ Productive green area |
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Less than 10,000m2 |
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Industrial area |
Less than 30,000m2 |
Less than 30,000m2 |
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Green area for conservation |
Less than 5,000m2 |
Less than 5,000m2 |
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Management area |
Less than 30,000m2 |
Less than 30,000m2 |
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Agriculture & forestry area |
Less than 30,000m2 |
Less than 30,000m2 |
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Natural environment conservation area |
Less than 5,000m2 |
Less than 5,000m2 |
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* The site size for a logistics warehouses with an area of 30,000 m2 in an industrial area, management area, agriculture & forestry area, etc., subject to a permit will be determined based on the criteria for large-scale development and the district unit plan.
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Site environment: Logistics warehouses must be located at least 400 m away from noise-sensitive facilities, including housing sites and schools (in the case of a housing site, the distance may be reduced up to 300 m if the housing site holds less than 30 households). In the initial proposal, the distance was 500 m (in the case of a housing site, the distance was initially 400 m when the housing sites holds less than 30 households), but the distance standard was relaxed during the review process.
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Collection of opinions of, and prior consultation with, local residents: Prior to filing an application for the initial permits and approvals for the construction of the logistics warehouses, the project owner is required (i) to hold at least two resident town hall meetings for the residents of the local area to voice their opinions, and upon filing an application for the initial permits and approvals for the construction of the logistics warehouses, (ii) to submit the matters prescribed in the standard permitting criteria for logistics warehouses and in the relevant laws and regulations to the head of the city/county for prior consultation.
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Miscellaneous: The Proposed Amendment sets forth the criteria for each of the following items.
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(1) |
Traffic environment: The site of a logistics warehouse must be directly connected to a road with a width of at least 12 m, and secure a turning radius of at least 12 m for large vehicles, and a traffic feasibility report on the site must be submitted to secure parking facilities and implement traffic measures. |
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(2) |
Building environment and greenery: Building height and length should be restricted by the designated use area, except in the industrial areas, and at least 3 m of greenery space should be secured to preserve sheltered trees and maintain tree density. |
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(3) |
Fire safety: The site should include at least one internal fire lane rotary (with a minimum width of 4 m) and an area, along with a dedicated area for fire trucks, fire-fighting facilities in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and electric forklift charging stations (charging area) on the ground floor. |
The Proposed Amendment imposes stricter restrictions on the development of logistics warehouses than the existing laws and regulations and the heightened permitting criteria for development activities. It also includes provisions that strengthen procedural regulations, by requiring project owners and operators to hold a public hearing for local residents before filing an application for the initial permit and license for the construction of a logistics warehouse.
The standard permitting criteria for logistics warehouses in Gyeonggi-do is advisory in nature. However, since the details of the standard permitting criteria may likely be directly adopted in the urban planning ordinances of each city/county, it would be necessary to continuously monitor its progress and development.
