Registration of 3D underground parcel in Korean cadastral system

Economic growth and urbanization have reduced urban land resources to the point that such resources are now, in some cases severely, limited. In order to support sustainable development and to solve the problem of land shortages in urban areas, one practical solution is the shifting of land usage from above the surface to underground. However, in most countries, including Korea, the cadastral system cannot adequately handle the legal, administrative, and technical aspects of the registration and maintenance of underground parcels. The main purpose of this research, therefore, was to propose a conceptual registration framework for 3D underground parcels. In order to do that, issues of unregistered underground space were summarized, and the legal, administrative, and technical limitations were revealed. In consideration of these limitations, the registration framework for 3D underground parcels is herein proposed. This framework consists of four steps: 1) preparation of 3D underground parcel data with consideration for information regarding 3D underground cadastral surveying and building-components; 2) definition of 3D underground parcels, based on deep underground regulation in Korea and the registration extent, registration unit, absolute height and relative height of systems; 3) 3D underground cadastral registration according to the three types of cadastral maps and land registration; 4) registration of 3D underground rights, such as ownership and sectional superficies of the 3D underground parcel. Finally, in order to implement the proposed registration framework for a 3D underground parcel, legal, administrative, and technical improvements are proposed.