Construction Noise Compensation Standards — How Is Compensation Actually Calculated?Based on Official Environmental Dispute Resolution Committee Data

Many residents suffering from construction noise say the same thing:

“Can this really be recognized as damage?”

Sleepless nights.
Constant vibration.
Children waking up from sudden drilling sounds.
Windows shaking every morning.

But according to Korea’s Central Environmental Dispute Resolution Committee under the Ministry of Environment, there are actual compensation standards for construction noise damage.

This article summarizes the official standards based on real government materials.

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1. Residential Noise Damage Standards

The official document classifies construction noise as follows:

Noise SourceEvaluation MethodTolerable Limit Standard

Construction site (machinery/equipment)	Leq, 5min	65dB(A)
Construction blasting	Lmax	75dB(A)
Factory/industrial area (daytime)	Leq, 5min	Residential area: 55dB(A)
Factory/industrial area (nighttime)	Leq, 5min	Residential area: 45dB(A)

Source: Central Environmental Dispute Resolution Committee

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2. Daytime and Nighttime Standards

The material clearly separates daytime and nighttime.

• Daytime: 06:00–22:00
• Nighttime: 22:00–06:00

Nighttime standards are stricter because they are directly related to sleep disturbance and mental stress.

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3. Hospitals and Schools Can Receive Stronger Protection

The official standard also states that:

• hospitals,
• nursing homes,
• schools,
• childcare facilities

may receive an additional protection adjustment.

👉 The tolerable noise standard may be reduced by 5dB(A).

This means noise near sensitive facilities may be judged more strictly.

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4. Compensation Amount Table

The actual compensation amount depends on:

• excess noise level,
• damage duration,
• repetition,
• severity of impact.

Example Compensation Table

Damage Period6–10dB Excess11–15dB Excess16–20dB Excess

Within 1 month	205 KRW	290 KRW	410 KRW
Within 3 months	515 KRW	730 KRW	1,020 KRW
Within 6 months	755 KRW	1,070 KRW	1,500 KRW
Within 1 year	970 KRW	1,370 KRW	1,940 KRW
Within 1 year 6 months	1,096 KRW	1,550 KRW	2,190 KRW
Within 3 years	1,310 KRW	1,850 KRW	2,615 KRW

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5. Less Than 7 Days of Damage

The document also explains:

👉 If the damage period is less than 7 days,
only 60% of the daily compensation amount is applied.

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6. How Excess Noise Is Calculated

The official formula is:

Excess Noise Level = Measured Noise Level − Tolerable Standard

In other words:

The key issue is how much the measured noise exceeds the legal standard.

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7. What the Government Actually Considers

The committee does not judge cases simply because someone says:

“It’s noisy.”

Instead, they evaluate:

• duration of damage,
• repeated occurrence,
• actual measured levels,
• degree of life disturbance,
• regional characteristics,
• social tolerance standards.

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About the Housing Culture Improvement Institute

The Housing Culture Improvement Institute organizes and shares information related to:

• construction noise,
• floor impact noise,
• vibration,
• low-frequency noise,
• resident dispute cases.

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NS Point Community

Residents can participate through:

• comments,
• real-life case sharing,
• information exchange.