Mayor Lee Jae-jun Proposes National Petition Urging 'Small Business Rent Reduction Measures'

Mandatory Rent Reduction for Commercial Buildings, Partial Support for Reduced Amounts, and Compensation for Landlords' Rent Losses Included

Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Goyang

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Lee Jae-jun, mayor of Goyang City, proposed a national petition urging measures to reduce rent for small business owners.

The national petition proposed by Mayor Lee includes ▲ mandatory rent reduction through amendment of the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act ▲ urgent measures to reduce rent through emergency financial orders before the amendment of laws and allowing local government heads to support part of the reduced amount ▲ urging fair compensation measures for landlords' rent losses through amendment of the Restriction of Special Taxation Act.

Mayor Lee also proposed the establishment of Article 11-2 (Special Cases of Rent Due to Infectious Disease Damage) of the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act, which prohibits landlords from charging more than 50% of the rent corresponding to the period of business suspension to tenants who were subject to business suspension measures due to COVID-19.

The national petition also includes a bill to extend the deduction period of Article 96-3 (Tax Credit for Landlords Who Reduced Commercial Rent) of the Restriction of Special Taxation Act until the end of COVID-19.

This national petition is a follow-up measure after the joint statement titled "Joint Statement Urging Small Business Rent Reduction Measures" was announced on the 8th by Mayor Lee and seven other local government heads in Gyeonggi Province (Goyang, Ansan, Siheung, Paju, Gwangmyeong, Guri, Anseong). Goyang City had already requested a legal amendment to Gyeonggi Province on the 10th.

Mayor Lee said, "Small business owners have been exposed to infection risks and have borne all economic and mental hardships as they are," adding, "On top of that, small business owners are in a situation where they cannot pay fixed costs such as rent and even resort to private loans."

He continued, "True coexistence means that pain is not transferred to one side, and true justice means that fair compensation is given for losses," explaining the background of the proposal: "Goyang City is mobilizing all possible means to protect small business owners, but it is urgent to establish a system through social consensus such as rent support and tax reduction benefits for landlords, so we cannot delay any longer and propose this national petition together with 1.08 million citizens of Goyang City."

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