South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo has identified housing supply in the metropolitan area as a top national priority as he approaches his 100th day in office. He announced plans to accelerate supply through reduced approval times and expanded public housing.
During a press luncheon on October 7 at the Prime Minister's residence in Sejong, Han stated, "The past 99 days have seen far more developments than I anticipated," adding, "We must go beyond merely announcing measures; we need to effect real change on the ground."
Since taking office on July 2, Han has visited various sites related to youth housing, caregiving, and disaster response, and has recently toured locations for expedited housing supply.
Regarding the housing issue, Han emphasized, "In our current era, housing must take precedence in the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter." He urged a focus on immediate supply, stating, "Let’s prioritize 'supply first' without overthinking it."
The government aims to supply 1.19 million public housing units by 2030 and plans to unveil a 'digital housing supply dashboard' by the first quarter of next year, allowing citizens to track progress directly.
Han identified complex approval processes as the main bottleneck in supply. He noted that large-scale redevelopment projects typically take 10 to 12 years, and he aims to reduce the approval time for public land from 68 months to 37 months. He also indicated that procedures across different ministries would be streamlined to occur simultaneously, rather than sequentially, to shorten project timelines.
The government is currently implementing a concentrated management system for 300 key supply areas, involving officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Financial Services Commission to address both financial and approval issues.
Han acknowledged the difficulty of quickly resolving recent concerns over rental prices, stating, "The current rental issues stem from a significant lack of supply." He added, "It is realistically challenging to promise a dramatic solution within a few months."
Instead, he announced plans to expand a program where the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) purchases newly built homes and offers them at 60-70% below market rates, aiming to increase supply starting in the second half of next year.
Han stressed the need to change the perception that public rental housing is solely for low-income individuals. He stated, "Providing housing is not just about increasing the number of homes; it’s also about designing living conditions that include care, transportation, and education," and mentioned exploring various models, including 'universal public rental housing.'
On other issues, Han addressed the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court's appointment process, noting that the legal relationship between the Chief Justice's recommendation authority and the President's appointment power is not clearly defined. He remarked, "Isn't the final responsibility and authority for appointments with the person making the appointment?" He emphasized the need to clarify the scope of recommendation and appointment powers through legislation to prevent future disputes.
Regarding the establishment of a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, he highlighted the urgent need to appoint a director and address staffing shortages. He also stated that plans for the second relocation of public institutions would be announced by the end of the year after consultations with relevant agencies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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