Cabinet approves Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act amendments on September 8, 2026
From now on, large-scale offshore wind projects must secure funding in advance for future restoration of public waters. This follows the revision of the implementing ordinance for the law governing public waters, which aims to strengthen the effectiveness of restoration orders for seas, rivers, lakes and other publicly used water surfaces.
Performance bond deposit made mandatory
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that the amended implementing ordinance for the Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act passed the cabinet on September 8, 2026. The law itself was amended last year and is scheduled to take effect on September 17, 2026. The ministry revised the implementing ordinance to specify details and procedures delegated by the law.
Under the amendment, developers must deposit a performance bond when the licensed area of public waters occupation or use is 10,000 square metres or larger. A ministry official stated: "This will mainly apply to offshore wind projects, which typically use public waters on a large scale. Large-scale projects of 10,000 square metres or more will now be able to secure funding for restoration from the point of public waters use, which should clarify the developer's responsibility for restoration."
Enforcement fines imposed for non-compliance
The amendment also provides that failure to comply with public waters restoration orders will result in enforcement fines of up to 10 million won, with specific standards and procedures for assessment established. Enforcement fines may be collected repeatedly up to twice. Through this measure, the ministry expects to strengthen the effectiveness of restoration orders and encourage swift restoration of public waters.
Hwang Jun-sung, director of marine environmental policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said: "With this revision of the implementing ordinance, we expect that responsibility and administrative effectiveness in public waters management will be significantly strengthened by securing restoration costs in advance from the point of public waters use and by being able to impose enforcement fines. Going forward, we will continue to improve the management system to secure the public nature of public waters and establish order in their use."
Original Korean article: Asia Economy
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
