Policy & Legal Framework
English한국어

Permits & Licensing · Stage 4 · Site Investigation

Geophysical Survey (GP)

물리탐사(GP)

Category
Permits & Licensing · Stage 4 · Site Investigation
Responsible body
No separate permit for a Korean developer (public waters management agency if the seabed is excavated)
Governing law
Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act
Korean original
National Law Information Center (law.go.kr) ↗

Summary

Public

Non-intrusive geophysical surveys such as sub-bottom profiling, seismic reflection and side-scan sonar. For a Korean developer, the permission and consent procedures of the Marine Scientific Research Act do not apply: they cover research by foreigners and international organizations (Articles 6 and 7), and Article 20 guarantees that nationals may freely conduct marine scientific research. If the work dredges or excavates the seabed, permission to occupy or use public waters is required under Article 8 (1) 3 of the Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act.

Sources: Marine Scientific Research Act, Articles 6, 7 and 20; Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act, Article 8.

Legal basis

Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act

Article 8 (Permission to Occupy or Use of Public Waters)

제8조(공유수면의 점용ㆍ사용허가)

KWI translation. The Korean text of this Article changed after the official English translation; KWI amended the official English to match.

(1) A person who intends to perform any of the following acts shall obtain permission to occupy or use of public waters (hereinafter referred to as "occupancy or use") from the management agency of public waters (hereinafter referred to as "permission to occupy or use") as prescribed by Presidential Decree:

  • 1. Newly constructing, renovating, extending, altering, or removing a wharf, a breakwater, a bridge, a floodgate, new and renewable energy facilities (referring to renewable energy facilities referred to in subparagraph 3 of Article 2 of the Act on the Promotion of the Development, Use and Diffusion of Renewable Energy, fuel cells, etc. referred to in subparagraph 6 of Article 2 of the Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act, and hydrogen energy facilities referred to in subparagraph 12 of Article 2 of that Act; hereafter in this Chapter the same shall apply), a building (referring to a building provided for in Article 2 (1) 2 of the Building Act which is installed without developing land on the pubic waters; hereafter in this Chapter the same shall apply), or other artificial structure on any public waters;
  • 2. Excavating any land contiguous to public waters below the surface of the public waters;
  • 3. Dredging or excavating the bottom of public waters;

Further text omitted.

Excerpt: paragraph (1) of each article. English text: Official KLRI English, updated by KWI. The full articles are in the English translation of the governing law below.

Where it sits in the permit pathway

Stage 4 of 7
  1. 1Wind Measurement2 authorizations
  2. 2Electricity Business License (EBL)1 authorization
  3. 3Environmental Assessment2 authorizations
  4. 4Site Investigation2 authorizations
  5. 5Public-Waters Use & Navigation Safety2 authorizations
  6. 6Cross-sector Consents5 authorizations
  7. 7Construction & Operation2 authorizations

Stages where risk concentrates. See the full permit pathway ›

Related entries in this tracker

Environmental Impact AssessmentStage 3
Marine Use Consultation & Impact AssessmentStage 3
Geotechnical Survey (GT): Occupancy & Work PlanStage 4
Public-Waters Occupancy Permit: ProjectStage 5
Maritime Traffic Safety AuditStage 5
Implementation-plan approval under the Special Act (one-stop)Special Act
The full permit pathwayPermits & Licensing

English translation of the governing law Premium members

Download English translation (unofficial) · PDF

KWI_EN_Public-Waters-Management-and-Reclamation-Act_20260918_KLRI-KWI.pdf · 103 pages
Based on the official KLRI English text, checked and updated by KWI against the Korean text in force on 18 September 2026

Korean original ↗

English translations are provided for convenience. They are unofficial; the Korean original is authoritative.