Democratic Party councilors in Seoul are urging the city to implement practical solutions and preventive measures regarding the ongoing issues with youth housing security deposits.
On the morning of November 12, Park I-gang, Ham Dae-geon, and Lee So-ra, along with the youth housing advocacy group Min Dalpaengi Union, held a press conference in the briefing room of the Seoul City Council Annex to address the recent testimonies of additional deposit-related damages and to call for solutions.
They criticized the city for its negligence in management and oversight, which has led to repeated deposit issues in youth housing. Since September 2024, when the problem first arose at 'Edgar Ssangmun' in Dobong District, similar issues have surfaced at 'Jamsil Central Park' in Songpa District, 'Sadang COVE' in Dongjak District, and 'Oksan Green Tower' in Gwangjin District. This year, the same type of damage occurred at 'Dorim Bravo' in Yeongdeungpo District, prompting their claims of accountability.
A tenant from Dorim Bravo, identified as A, stated at the press conference, "I entrusted my valuable property to the city, believing in its name, but I have yet to receive my deposit of 122 million won. Experiencing the same incident four times without any preventive measures indicates that the city's policies and oversight systems are not functioning properly."
Councilor Park criticized that in the case of Dorim Bravo, 43 out of 81 private rental units were not enrolled in deposit return insurance. Currently, four households have not received their deposits, but the remaining units that lack insurance also face a high risk of not receiving their deposits.
He added, "If the city had properly verified the insurance enrollment of rental businesses, it could have prevented tenants from losing their deposits." With deposit return insurance, tenants can claim payment from the insurance provider if the landlord fails to return the deposit, but without enrollment, protection is difficult.
Criticism also arose regarding the ineffective relief measures for existing victims. According to the Seoul City Council, one year after the city announced its advance payment measures, as of September 30, 169 out of 297 eligible recipients (57%) have still not received support. Notably, Sadang COVE reported zero recipients, while Oksan Green Tower had only one.
Councilor Park pointed out that the city has been delaying the establishment of measures under the pretext of administrative review or consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. However, upon checking with the city, it was revealed that there had been no requests for consultations with the government, prompting calls for a more proactive response from the city.
Participants at the press conference emphasized that the city must fulfill its responsibilities under the name of youth housing security, demanding the establishment of practical deposit return measures for all affected tenants, a comprehensive review of insurance enrollment and renewal status across all projects, effective sanctions against non-compliant businesses, and enhanced verification of the financial soundness of operators along with a strengthened oversight system.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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