Joeunsan "Government, Rather Avoid Any Mention of Real Estate, Housing Prices, and Rental Housing"

President Moon Jae-in is seen conversing after inspecting single-story rental housing units at a public rental housing complex in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 11th, together with Kim Hyun-mi, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Byeon Chang-heum, nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Nah Han-ah] Jin-in Jo Eun-san, who wrote the 'Seven Proposals for the New Year,' criticized the government, saying, "If you want to recover even just a few points of approval rating, I recommend that you refrain from mentioning real estate, housing prices, and rental housing altogether."

On the 13th, Jo Eun-san wrote on his blog, "When remarks like Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon's 'hotel comment,' Representative Jin Sun-mi's 'fantasy comment,' and Minister Kim Hyun-mi's 'bread comment' come out, they face public backlash. If you have no ability to properly understand the cause, it is better to say nothing at all," he said.

Jo Eun-san criticized, "It is actually laughable that those who distorted the market criticize the media distortion, but it is even more laughable to see attempts to somehow manage the real estate crisis. Give up," adding, "It will only have the opposite effect."

Regarding President Moon Jae-in's remarks during his visit to public rental housing sites, Jo Eun-san said, "Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok reportedly rebutted by questioning some media reports and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min's Facebook post, saying, 'I wonder what their minds are like.' If so, I want to ask spokesperson Kang: what exactly is going on in your mind?"

Earlier, on the 11th, President Moon asked Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister nominee Byun Chang-heum at a 13-pyeong (approximately 43 square meters) public rental housing unit, "One child is standard for newlyweds, but two children might be possible for younger kids." Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min criticized this by referring to the 'official residence' President Moon plans to live in after his term. In response, spokesperson Kang said on the 12th, "I wonder what their minds are like," and later called some media reports on the president's remarks 'fake news' while issuing clarifications.

Jo Eun-san shared his personal experience, saying, "Four adult family members, including 20-year-old me, lived in a 13-pyeong rental apartment. On the first day after moving in, I laughed and rolled around on the warm floor as a fully grown adult, and I took showers all day because hot water was available in the bathroom, only to get a slap on the back from my mother."

He continued, "Being freed from the broken coal boiler was thanks to the country's welfare benefits above all else," adding, "But what I want to talk about is the 'life after rental housing.'"

He said, "Countless desires flow like a river in the world," and asked, "Should we simply shed tears and smile at the story of a young person who was just warmed and had hot water in an era of national control that blocked all these desires, including the humble desire to own a home?"

Quoting Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin's statement, "Right now, people live there (in rental housing)," Jo Eun-san pointed out, "Reflecting reality, a slight modification is appropriate: 'Right now, people are trapped there.'"

Jo Eun-san questioned, "As Park said, when ordinary people who have accumulated wealth in rental housing try to fulfill these desires, what can this country really show them? Housing prices over 1 billion won? Dried-up jeonse (long-term deposit lease)? Soaring monthly rent? Rental housing they have no choice but to return to?"

He emphasized, "I support rental housing. However, rental housing only has meaning if housing price stabilization comes first."

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