Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, will provide 3 million won per household in remodeling costs to improve the living conditions of 40,000 households living in semi-basements, rooftop rooms, and goshiwons (small dormitory-style rentals). This represents about 10% of the 371,000 vulnerable housing units in Seoul.
Jung announced the "A Real Home for All" pledge containing these measures on the 28th.
As Seongdong District chief, Jung conducted a comprehensive survey of dangerous dwellings including semi-basement homes and established the "Dangerous Dwelling Criteria Guidelines." He plans to expand this initiative city-wide and create a "Seoul-Style Minimum Housing Performance Guideline" to ensure insulation performance, sufficient lighting, and independent bathrooms and kitchens, helping residents fashion "real homes." He will also provide an average of around 3 million won per household in repair subsidies for housing improvements.
Jung said he would significantly expand public rental housing supplied to homeless ordinary citizens, including young people and newlyweds. While the Oh Se-hoon administration supplied 25,000 public rental housing units between 2021 and 2024, Jung plans to supply 130,000 public rental housing units by 2031 through the redevelopment of six permanent rental complexes, 50,000 new-build rental acquisitions, 50,000 public rental units and dormitories, and 30,000 rental units for newlyweds. Working with the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), he will also establish an "Integrated Metropolitan Waiting List" combining Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon to fully resolve subscription inconveniences.
In addition, at least 10,000 public rental housing units will be supplied exclusively for or with priority access for senior citizens. The plan will utilize public-supported private rentals, in which zoning upgrades and floor area ratio benefits are granted when senior housing is supplied on private land, with some units then purchased and assigned with priority to low-income seniors. Retirement villages will also be developed in cooperation with local governments.
Jung will reorganize and expand Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH), which has been mobilized for large-scale landmark construction projects such as the Han River Bus, into an organization focused on participating in urban public housing complex projects and revitalizing public redevelopment projects. The function of mediating construction cost disputes in redevelopment projects will also be strengthened. In particular, the organization will be restructured to break ground on 10,000 permanent rental units by 2031.
Victims of jeonse (a Korean lease system requiring a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent) fraud will receive housing stability subsidies of around 2 million won per year. The subsidies will consist of jeonse loan interest, moving expenses, and emergency living cost support. Jeonse fraud victims will be given priority in the youth monthly rent support program. Public consigned management through SH's Acquired Rental Management Center will expand support for jeonse fraud victims and housing safety management.
The "Youth Safe Housing" program, where jeonse fraud occurred, will be completely overhauled, and the supply of youth housing near subway stations will be expanded. Tenant recruitment will be approved only when the prerequisite of mandatory guarantee insurance enrollment is met, with SH also taking an active role. SH will be enabled to exercise the right of preferential purchase by subrogation in auctions of damaged rental properties. In particular, since SH owns 30% of Youth Safe Housing buildings, the plan will consider purchasing them in consultation with LH.
"The era of 'walking with the vulnerable' as mere words and building houses only in rhetoric is over," Jung said. "With the proven ability that first achieved a comprehensive survey of semi-basement homes, I will build truly home-like homes through the two wings of 'step-by-step development' that secures channels for housing supply and 'housing welfare' that fulfills public responsibility, and will steadily change citizens' daily lives one by one."
