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Busan City Selected for Best Practice in “Regulatory Improvement through Proactive Administration in Q1” by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that its case titled “Improving Funeral Procedures for the Unclaimed through Expansion of Pre-Designated Funeral Agents” was selected as a best practice in the “2025 Q1 Regulatory Improvement through Proactive Administration” evaluation hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS).

*The “Regulatory Improvement through Proactive Administration” evaluation is conducted quarterly by MOIS to identify and share outstanding cases of regulatory reform achieved through proactive governance among local governments.

○ In the first quarter evaluation, MOIS reviewed 550 cases submitted by local governments and selected 30 new cases and 71 benchmarking cases through internal and external expert reviews. Among the new cases, five with the highest scores were designated as best practices.

○ Busan City had a total of six cases selected: one best case, three new cases, and two benchmarking cases.

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The best case selected was “Improving Funeral Procedures for the Unclaimed through Expansion of Pre-Designated Funeral Agents (Elderly Welfare Division).” This initiative was recognized for its efforts, effectiveness, and ripple effect, contributing to the streamlining of local administrative processes.

○ Previously, when an unclaimed death occurred, an acquaintance had to confirm the death and apply for the designation of a funeral agent, resulting in a complicated and cumbersome administrative process for public funerals.

○ In response, the Elderly Welfare Division revised the public funeral guidelines (manual) in January to allow economically disadvantaged unclaimed individuals, such as basic livelihood recipients, to pre-designate a funeral agent. Busan became the first metropolitan government to implement this system citywide, thereby guaranteeing the right to self-determination and streamlining the public funeral process.

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Other newly selected cases include:
▲ “Enhancing Fire Safety for Vulnerable Evacuation Facilities through Detailed Installation Guidelines and Pilot Operation” (Urban Architecture Policy Division)
▲ “Resolving Long-Standing Resident Issues by Expanding Urban Gas Installation Support through Proactive Administration” (Future Energy Industry Division)
▲ “Reclassifying Farmland Above Apartment Retaining Walls as Forest through Active Legal Interpretation to Prevent Natural Disasters” (Saha-gu)

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In addition, the following were selected as benchmarking cases that successfully adopted best practices to suit local conditions:
▲ “Implementing Demolition of Unauthorized Vacant Houses through Proactive Administration” (Dong-gu)
▲ “Promoting Vacant House Maintenance Projects by Improving Local Regulations” (Haeundae-gu)

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Lee Kyung-deok, Planning Officer of the City, stated, “Proactive administration is essential to resolving regulatory difficulties faced by citizens and businesses and revitalizing the local economy.” He added, “We will continue to drive impactful regulatory innovations through proactive governance across various sectors.”

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Appendix. Selected Cases for 2025 Q1

①  Improving Funeral Procedures for the Unclaimed through Expansion of Pre-Designated Funeral Agents
(Elderly Welfare Division / Best Case)

• ●Before: When an unclaimed death occurred, an acquaintance had to confirm the death and apply to designate a funeral agent, resulting in complex procedures for public funerals.

• ●After: If an unclaimed individual pre-designates a funeral agent, the local government contacts the agent directly upon death to coordinate funeral wishes.

• ○(Before) Post-death designation by the Ministry of Health and Welfare → (After) Pre-death designation by Busan City + Post-death by the Ministry

Improvement Process:
◈ The Elderly Welfare Division revised the manual in January 2025 to allow disadvantaged unclaimed individuals to pre-designate a funeral agent and implemented the system citywide for the first time among metropolitan governments, ensuring self-determination and streamlining funeral procedures.

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②  Enhancing Fire Safety for Vulnerable Evacuation Facilities through Detailed Installation Guidelines and Pilot Operation
(Urban Architecture Policy Division / New Case)

• ●Before: Although the Building Act Enforcement Decree was revised in 2015 to require evacuation facilities (open balconies, ramps, etc.) for vulnerable groups, no detailed installation standards existed. Recommendations relied on non-binding guidelines by the National Fire Agency.

• ●After: Established legal standards for flexible “Evacuation Rescue Spaces” for rapid evacuation with minimal assistance.

Improvement Process:

◈ The Urban Architecture Policy Division developed a legal draft based on Fire Agency guidelines and Building Act revisions, held administrative improvement councils, and piloted the program citywide—the first in the nation—strengthening fire safety measures.

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③  Resolving Long-Standing Resident Issues by Expanding Urban Gas Installation Support through Proactive Administration
(Future Energy Industry Division / New Case)

• ●Before: Anchang Village, located in a narrow basin area in Dong-gu and Busanjin-gu, faced difficulties in urban gas supply due to geographical and administrative constraints, raising safety concerns.

• ●After: Through ordinance revision and collaboration with gas companies and local offices, expanded support for unauthorized housing and reduced infrastructure cost burdens.

Improvement Process:
◈ The division revised the “Busan Ordinance on Urban Gas Installation Support,” expanded eligibility, and coordinated with Dong-gu and other stakeholders to ease financial burdens and enhance safety.

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④  Reclassifying Farmland Above Apartment Retaining Walls as Forest through Active Legal Interpretation to Prevent Natural Disasters
(Saha-gu Land Information Division / New Case)

• ●Before: Remaining farmland above apartment retaining walls, which had lost agricultural function, could not be reclassified under the Farmland Act, causing ownership and safety concerns.

• ●After: Through active legal interpretation and interdepartmental cooperation, conditional forest use approval was granted, allowing reclassification and disaster prevention.

Improvement Process:
◈ Saha-gu held multiple interdepartmental meetings, conducted on-site inspections, and utilized Article 41 of the Farmland Act to gain approval for forest use, completing land reclassification and ownership transfer.

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⑤ Implementing Demolition of Unauthorized Vacant Houses through Proactive Administration
(Dong-gu Future Development Team / Benchmarking Case)

• ●Before: Unauthorized vacant houses in urban areas posed safety and environmental hazards, but lack of clear regulations complicated demolition efforts.

• ●After: Established administrative foundations for enforced demolition, conducted area-based demolitions, and introduced liability protection via the Active Administration Committee.

Improvement Process:
◈ Dong-gu created the city’s first system for enforced demolition, implemented area-wide removals, and accelerated projects through legal interpretations and committee guidance.

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⑥ Promoting Vacant House Maintenance Projects by Improving Local Regulations
(Haeundae-gu Architecture Division / Benchmarking Case)

• ●Before: The ordinance only allowed limited interventions (utility shutoff, entrance blocking) but lacked concrete support measures for vacant house projects.

• ●After: Revised the ordinance in March 2025 to allow support for vacant house maintenance in cases of safety or crime prevention concerns.

Improvement Process:
◈ Haeundae-gu amended its ordinance to remove owner obligations and introduce support criteria for vacant house maintenance, establishing a comprehensive framework for project implementation.