Hong Ji-sun, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated that discussions regarding housing supply policies with Seoul City will not be based on a comprehensive agreement but will proceed with projects that can be agreed upon. Matters requiring legislation, such as housing supply for youth and newlyweds at the Yongsan US military base, will be left for parliamentary discussion, while other projects will be negotiated individually with Seoul City.
During a comprehensive audit at the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee on the 23rd, Minister Hong responded to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Nam-kun regarding Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's mention of a comprehensive agreement on housing supply policies in November, saying, "I have never said that a comprehensive agreement is necessary."
He further explained, "The plan to supply housing for youth and newlyweds at some areas of the Yongsan US military base requires legislation, so we will discuss that separately in the National Assembly, and I told Seoul City to proceed with agreements on projects that can be negotiated first."
Lawmaker Kim pointed out that the negotiations between the Ministry and Seoul City should not delay the progress of individual projects. He emphasized that the application of pre-planning procedures for urban public housing complex projects by Seoul City is causing delays in project approvals, urging that projects ready for negotiation should be expedited.
Regarding the likelihood of achieving this year's housing supply goals, Minister Hong mentioned the poor supply from the private sector. In response to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Hee-yong about the unmet housing supply goals and plans for next year, he stated, "We have a five-year plan in place, so the quantities pursued by the public sector should be achievable to some extent, but the private sector is not meeting its targets."
When lawmaker Jeong pointed out that the shortfall in supply could accumulate and make it even more difficult to implement supply plans in the future, Minister Hong replied, "We will do our best to make up for it."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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