S. Korea's President Excludes Multiple Homeowners from Real Estate Policy Making
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Seoul, March 22 (NationPress) President Lee Jae Myung announced on Sunday that he has directed his office and the Cabinet to prevent individuals who own multiple residences from participating in the development of real estate policies, as his administration intensifies its efforts against longstanding housing speculation.
Lee conveyed this directive via his X account, emphasizing the need to exclude individuals with multiple properties, high-value homes that are not occupied, and those with excessive real estate holdings from the discussions, creation, reporting, and endorsement of housing and real estate policies.
He stated, "Escaping the real estate republic is a pivotal challenge for the significant transformation of the Republic of Korea." He added, "There cannot be even a 0.1 percent flaw or weakness when it comes to real estate or housing policies."
Lee has established tackling speculative property ownership as a primary objective for his administration, aiming to stabilize the real estate market and enhance public access to housing, according to the Yonhap news agency.
In his post, he clarified that while there is no inherent reason to criticize multiple homeowners or owners of expensive properties, the issue stems from public officials who have designed tax, banking, and regulatory systems that favor multiple property ownership.
"If public officials responsible for creating or ignoring these systems exploit these flawed regulations for speculative investments, it is only just that they face not only criticism but also penalties," he remarked. "Shouldn't it be appropriate for them to be excluded from real estate policies even now?"
To illustrate his commitment to addressing the real estate crisis, Lee has listed his private home for sale at a price below the market value.
The government is also poised to lift the temporary suspension on heavy capital gains taxes in May.