Online Classes Due to Semester Delay... "University Dorm Rent Just Went to Waste"

Increased Rent Burden Due to University Semester Delay

"Just as Small Merchants Benefit from the Good Rent Campaign, University Students' Rent Burden Should Also Be Eased"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "The semester was delayed and lectures moved online, so my rent for the studio apartment just evaporated."

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), sighs are increasing among university students who have already signed contracts for their studio apartments. Until the 16th, university semesters were postponed, and even after the semester started, lectures were replaced with online classes for about two weeks, eliminating the need to live near campus. As a result, students had to pay for studio apartments they never even used.

Jung Mo (25), a student at Sogang University, signed a contract last month for a one-room apartment located in Daehyeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, ahead of his return to school this semester. However, since he cannot attend classes in person, he is still staying in Gwangju, where his family home is. Additionally, the cluster infections of COVID-19 in Seoul have caused his parents great concern. He lamented, "I haven't even moved my belongings yet, but I ended up losing 550,000 won in rent." Another student, Lim Mo (23), said, "If I could have at least used the university library, I would have lived in the studio apartment, but since I couldn't, I'm staying in my hometown to save living expenses," adding, "The rent situation is really overwhelming."

Moreover, students agree that the burden of rent near universities is significant, causing severe financial strain. University student Lee Dong-wook (24) said, "Compared to when I entered school, rent has increased by about 80,000 won, so the housing cost burden is heavy, and I feel sorry to my parents for losing rent money," adding, "I plan to work part-time to cover the costs."

According to the '2019 Seoul One-Room Rent Trends' released by the Dabang Data Analysis Center, in August 2019, the highest monthly rent for one-room apartments near Seoul National University of Education and Hongik University reached 570,000 won based on a deposit of 10 million won. Yonsei University was at 510,000 won, and Hanyang University was around 470,000 won. This is similar to or slightly higher than the average one-room rent in Seoul (530,000 won) and represents an increase of 30,000 to 50,000 won compared to August 2016. Although the demand for one-room apartments has decreased due to COVID-19, leading to lower rents, students who signed contracts before the outbreak have continued to pay rent as before.

Experts emphasize the need for consideration and support for university students, who are a vulnerable housing group. Professor Seo Won-seok of the Department of Urban Planning and Real Estate at Chung-Ang University stated, "Just as a 'Good Rent Movement' is underway to help small business owners affected by COVID-19, a social movement to reduce rent burdens for university students is necessary," and suggested, "The government should consider measures such as housing vouchers to alleviate the economic burden on vulnerable housing groups."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.