President Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday dismissed criticism that the government's real estate policy review — which would grant sale opportunities to single-home owners with tenants — effectively permits "gap investment," calling such claims "close to unfair criticism."
The remarks are interpreted as reflecting the judgment that portraying this limited exception — designed to address side effects that block single-home owners with tenants from selling their properties amid strengthened residency requirements — as "permitting gap investment" could only amplify market anxiety and controversy over policy distortion.
President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter) under the title and shared an article headlined "To Prevent Transaction Cliff... Reviewing Residency Exemption for Non-Resident Single-Home Sales."
"To ensure fairness, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to grant sale opportunities to single-home owners with tenants, on the same terms as multi-home owners, with buyers limited to those without any home," President Lee wrote. "Buyers will be allowed to move in after the remaining lease period of the existing tenant expires, with that period capped at a maximum of two years."
President Lee explained, "This gives sale opportunities to single-home owners who cannot sell because they are unable to move in within four to six months due to the lease period, while requiring buyers to repay the deposit and personally move in within two years." He added, "The buyer must pay the full sale price, including the deposit, within the remaining lease period — and at most within two years. Calling this permission for gap investment appears excessive."
President Lee concluded, "Escaping the 'real estate republic' is an essential task for normalizing our country and achieving sustainable development." He added, "If real estate speculation recurs, how many will actually benefit? I ask for your cooperation."
