Ministry promotes rural regeneration through vacant home revitalization initiatives
Published: 12 Sep. 2025, 07:00
Updated: 15 Sep. 2025, 13:08
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Jeju-based cafe and guesthouse Forest J Cowshed [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/15/2fa4298e-b89a-4d88-a0f1-bdcc03137aea.jpg)
Jeju-based cafe and guesthouse Forest J Cowshed [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A once-abandoned cowshed on Jeju Island has been transformed into a thriving cafe and guesthouse complex, becoming a flagship example of private sector-led regeneration of rural vacant homes.
“I heard the old man who used to live here built the cowshed with his own hands. I didn’t want to tear it down,” said 27-year-old Bang Soo-yeon. “Its age is part of its living history.”
Bang purchased an 800-pyeong (28,466-square-foot) plot of land in 2020 where an elderly couple had once grown tangerines and raised cattle. Rather than demolishing the aging structures, Bang preserved the rusted iron framework and repurposed the feed troughs as planters.
By the end of the following year, she had opened a cafe that embraced the original rustic aesthetic and invested around 2 billion won ($1.44 million) in total, including the construction of three guest accommodations.
![Bang Soo-yeon, a 27-year-old who turned an 800-pyeong (28,466-square-feet) plot of land in 2020 where an elderly couple had once grown tangerines and raised cattle into a cafe and guesthouse [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/15/76cddd91-c6f5-4ea1-8d01-a2d447766ffa.jpg)
Bang Soo-yeon, a 27-year-old who turned an 800-pyeong (28,466-square-feet) plot of land in 2020 where an elderly couple had once grown tangerines and raised cattle into a cafe and guesthouse [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
“I wanted to share this space with others the moment I saw it,” Bang said. “Even without active promotion, word-of-mouth spread. We now get around 40 to 50 visitors on weekdays, and nearly 100 on weekends. I feel most fulfilled when I realize that what I’m really offering is the space itself.”
Her project was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as an exemplary case of rural vacancy revitalization. Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, who visited the site on Sept. 3, described rural vacant homes as “a resource full of potential,” adding, “With just a bit of government support and regulatory improvement, the private sector can take the lead.”
As part of its efforts to formalize support for such projects — a key policy under the Lee Jae Myung administration — the ministry is rolling out a number of initiatives. These include a “Vacant Home Bank” platform, development of public-private regeneration models and legislation to create a special law addressing rural and fishing village vacancies.
The Vacant Home Bank, launched on Aug. 21, is a platform aimed at revitalizing transactions for 48,000 usable properties among the 78,000 vacant homes in fishing villages. The service facilitates the sale and rental of rural properties through the ministry’s existing “Greendaero” platform, which supports return-to-farming and rural migration.
The service had already facilitated three transactions within 10 days. Currently, 91 properties from 19 counties are listed on the platform, with prices ranging from 10 million to 600 million won.
As of August, 138 certified regional real estate agents were participating in the program. Those who broker a successful deal within six months of a listing are eligible for a 500,000-won activity stipend per property.
![Bang Soo-yeon, 27, CEO of Jeju-based cafe and guesthouse Forest J Cowshed, third from left, speaks during an on-site meeting with Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, fourth from left, on Sept. 3 [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/09/15/eefaeeb1-6420-47f2-9a77-ac1d380484c2.jpg)
Bang Soo-yeon, 27, CEO of Jeju-based cafe and guesthouse Forest J Cowshed, third from left, speaks during an on-site meeting with Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung, fourth from left, on Sept. 3 [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The ministry also plans to increase its budget for vacant home programs from 1.5 billion won this year to 12.3 billion won in 2026. It will consolidate scattered regional programs under a national framework, placing greater emphasis on reuse and redevelopment rather than demolition.
A special bill is also being prepared to support the broader goals of the initiative. Provisions will include regulatory exceptions, improved data access and the establishment of dedicated support organizations.
Pilot projects in Gangjin, South Jeolla; Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang and Namhae, South Gyeongsang have already converted abandoned properties into youth-oriented startup spaces, workation (a blend of work and vacation where people work remotely while staying in rural or resort areas) offices, short-term housing and shared community facilities like libraries and small cinemas.
In addition, the ministry plans to expand its agriculture and food-focused venture capital fund later this year to include investments in vacant home regeneration, further encouraging private sector involvement in reviving rural communities.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM KYUNG-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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