Gyeongbuk-style Modular Housing: A Sustainable Solution for Disaster Relief and Beyond
As move-ins for Andong’s Unit 1 modular housing—installed at the site of the Kwon Jeong-saeng Children's Literature Museum—began on the 18th, a displaced resident was seen settling in. — Yonhap News

Under the Disaster Relief Act, residents are permitted to live in these modular homes for one year, with a possible one-year extension, allowing for a total of up to two years of temporary residency. While interior specifications are similar across other regions like Uiseong, residents are exempt from security deposits and rent, though they are responsible for utility bills such as water and electricity.

“My body and mind are exhausted after seeing the home and belongings I’ve had for a lifetime turn to ashes,” said Resident A, who moved in after losing their home in Iljik-myeon. “I am deeply grateful for the rapid response that allowed me to move in so quickly and so close to my original home. I hope for continued interest and support until our village is fully restored.”

Solving the "Post-Disaster" Dilemma
According to Gyeongsangbuk-do, the newly deployed "Gyeongbuk-style Modular Housing" differs significantly from traditional site-assembled or container-type shelters. Conventionally, temporary units were either sold off or stored until the next disaster. However, with 3,819 homes damaged in the recent wildfires, the scale of the crisis demanded a massive amount of temporary housing, raising concerns about the difficulty of storing or reselling such a large volume of units once their initial purpose was served.

“Traditional assembly-type houses lacked scalability, and because major disasters like this wildfire don't follow a predictable cycle, it was difficult to determine how long we should store them,” explained a provincial official. “After much consideration, we decided to design a structure that could be repurposed for various non-residential uses.”

A Virtuous Cycle of Reuse
The Gyeongbuk-style modular units are designed for maximum flexibility: internal walls can be removed to connect units for expansion, and they can be stacked to create multi-story buildings.

Once the displaced residents return to permanent housing, these modules can be repurposed:

Community Facilities: Connecting three units to replace destroyed village halls.

Worker Dormitories: Housing for seasonal agricultural workers.

Rural Tourism: Utilization as rural guesthouses or pensions.

With a durability of approximately 40 years, these units can also be quickly redeployed for future disaster relief. This creates a sustainable virtuous cycle, ensuring that public resources are used efficiently while providing rapid, high-quality support for those in need.