The Democratic Party stated on August 7 that Representative Hwang Hee's proposal to convert discarded buses into temporary housing for youth, dubbed 'bus houses,' is a "personal opinion unrelated to the party's stance." The statement appears to be an immediate effort to distance the party from the controversial remarks.
On the same day, Hwang shared on his Facebook page an example of remodeled ships in Amsterdam, Netherlands, suggesting, "We could remodel discarded buses into living spaces and provide them as short-term housing for students near universities."
He added, "If we estimate the remodeling cost at around 50 million won, it would only total 500 billion won for 10,000 units. This could serve as temporary housing for youth until they secure stable accommodations, and it can be supplied quickly, making it worth considering."
Following his comments, there was a surge of calls for him to retract his statement and apologize. The People Power Party criticized the proposal as a "clear insult to the youth," demanding an explanation for how such a bizarre idea emerged from a senior member of the ruling party.
Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk remarked on Facebook, "The real estate measures of the Lee Jae-myung administration are becoming increasingly absurd, culminating in the suggestion to remodel discarded buses for youth. This mocks young people who are already struggling."
Senior spokesperson Park Chung-kwon also questioned Hwang and the government, asking, "Is this the kind of policy for the future of our youth?" He urged Hwang to set an example by becoming the first resident of a 'bus house.' Choi Soo-jin, the party's chief floor spokesperson, criticized the government and the Democratic Party for making youth suffer through real estate issues, stating, "Now they are suggesting they live in buses, showing a complete disconnect from public sentiment."
As criticism mounted, Hwang clarified that his comments were made in a "purely conceptual" context and deleted his original post. In a follow-up post, he stated, "I heard that young people felt uncomfortable, and I want to clarify that this was meant to enrich the idea, and the government is not pursuing such a policy."
In response, the Democratic Party also sought to mitigate the situation. Senior spokesperson Kang Jun-hyun issued a statement to the media, asserting that Hwang's Facebook post regarding bus houses and short-term housing was entirely a personal opinion and not related to the party's position.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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