Free Empty House Rent in Rural Korea: What Exists (2026)

Can you rent an empty house in rural Korea for free?

Rarely, and never without conditions. The official schemes found here charge a low fee or a token rent, limit the stay, and give priority to people who plan to settle ^{[1] [3]}.

The law explains why terms differ. A county may buy empty houses and use them as rental housing, but rent and use are set by that county's own ordinance (Rural Community Improvement Act Art. 65-6) ^[7].

For example, 귀농인의 집 fees and utility charges are decided by each county, not by the ministry ^[1]. In practice, the same programme name can mean different costs in two neighbouring counties.

Which empty house rental programmes exist in 2026?

Six programmes have an official page or release. Two are national and open to applicants; the others are county schemes or regeneration projects that the government describes as examples ^{[1] [2] [3] [5] [6]}.

Where a cell says "not stated", the official source gives no figure. RuralRoof does not fill those gaps with estimates.

How does 귀농인의 집 work?

It is a temporary home for people preparing to move to a rural area. You stay until you find your own house and farmland, normally for up to one year ^[1].

“A programme that provides temporary housing where people who want to return to farming or rural life can stay for a set period until they secure a home and a farming base.”

If nobody else is waiting and you want to stay, the stay can be extended by up to one more year. The operator or the county runs the house, and the county head sets the rules on stay length and fees ^[1].

• Who can apply: anyone who wants to live in the house while securing a home and farmland, and then settle locally ^[1].
• Priority: people who completed return-to-farm education (귀농교육) ^[1].
• Priority: applicants moving in with family, such as a spouse ^[1].
• Priority: young people who completed the project type of 농촌에서 살아보기 in that county ^[1].

According to 그린대로, 405 houses operated in 95 cities and counties as of 31 December 2023. The page notes that numbers can change with local conditions ^[1].

What is 농촌에서 살아보기, and does it include housing?

Yes. It is a trial stay of one to eight months in a village, with temporary lodging during the programme and a training allowance paid when you complete it ^[2].

The programme is for urban residents of working age who want to move to the countryside. It combines rural jobs, daily-life experience and contact with residents ^[2].

There are several types: farming, rural living and project-based stays. Some special tracks run near a town centre or link to rural study for children ^[2].

However, programme length and the allowance differ by village. 그린대로 tells applicants to check each village's operating details on the application page ^[2].

Which counties rent remodelled empty houses cheaply?

The 2025 government empty house plan names two county examples. Cheongyang rents remodelled homes for ₩10,000 a month; Gangjin houses young creators in a village hotel ^[3].

Cheongyang County leases neglected empty houses from owners free of charge and remodels them. It then rents them for five years at ₩10,000 a month to young people, newlyweds and people returning to rural areas (from April 2024) ^[3].

Gangjin County remodelled empty houses into a village hotel in Byeongyeong. Young creators and people with skills who want to move there can stay for six months to one year, on condition of arts or local promotion work ^[3].

Both examples are funded through the Local Extinction Response Fund. The plan says empty house projects in depopulating areas would be written into the fund's 2026 guidelines ^[3].

What is MAFRA's rural empty house regeneration project?

It is a ministry-funded scheme that turns clusters of empty houses into homes, workspaces and shared facilities. Three districts were chosen in 2025: Gangjin, Cheongdo and Namhae ^[5].

Each district receives ₩2.1 billion over three years. The money is 30% national, 50% local and 20% from a private cooperation fund ^{[4] [5]}.

In each district, 10 empty houses are remodelled at ₩150 million each for work and stay spaces. These include rental homes and short stays for 귀농·귀촌 (planned) residents. Two more become shared village facilities ^[5].

The plans differ. Gangjin plans farm stays and a village hotel, Cheongdo a village hotel and cultural space, and Namhae workation lodging ^[5]. Rents and application dates were not stated.

An earlier public-private project remodelled 8 empty houses in Masan-myeon, Haenam, as rental housing; 7 were occupied in December 2024 ^[6].

What do these programmes not tell you?

Most official pages give the model, not the contract. Deposit, utilities, repairs and renewal rules sit in each county's notice or ordinance ^{[1] [7]}.

These homes are also temporary by design. 귀농인의 집 is a bridge until you secure your own home, so plan your purchase or long lease while you stay ^[1].

Empty houses that counties buy can also house farm and fishery workers, including foreign workers, under Art. 65-6 ^[7]. That use may compete with newcomer housing in some counties.

How do you apply for a cheap rural empty house?

Start with the national platform, then go local. The process takes a 그린대로 account, a target county and patience with dated notices.

1. Open 그린대로 and read the 살아보기 and 귀농인의 집 pages; both have an application link ^{[1] [2]}.
2. Pick a county and check whether it has a 5-year empty house plan; every county head must make one (Art. 64) ^[7].
3. Ask the county's return-to-farm or rural policy team about 귀농인의 집 vacancies, fees and stay rules ^[1].
4. Ask whether the county has a 빈집우선정비구역 (priority empty house zone); MAFRA's regeneration money goes there first ^{[4] [7]}.
5. Read the lease conditions before you move, especially deposit, utilities and the end date ^[1].

To see empty houses for sale, read the rural empty house bank guide or browse rural listings. Before any purchase, work through the rural house checklist.

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