Jinseongjun, on Criticism of the 'One Household One House Law' as Socialism: "It Is Deliberately Interpreted That Way"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Jin Seong-jun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who introduced the so-called 'One Household One Home' bill as the main proposer, responded to criticisms calling it a "law infringing on private property" and "socialist legislation" by saying, "Those criticisms either do not properly understand the substantive content of the bill or are deliberately interpreting it that way."

In an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 23rd, Rep. Jin said, "The bill is a declarative law that prioritizes supply to the homeless and establishes the principle and basic idea that one household should live in or own only one home."

Earlier on the 21st, Rep. Jin introduced the 'Partial Amendment to the Housing Basic Act' as the main proposer. The core content of the bill includes ▲ the basic principle of one household owning and residing in one home ▲ prohibition of using housing for asset accumulation or speculative purposes ▲ priority supply to those who do not own a home or intend to actually reside in one, which are the 'three principles of housing justice.' However, the bill itself does not include punitive provisions or mandatory regulations.

Rep. Jin explained the purpose of the bill by saying, "In 1995, the total number of houses was 9.57 million, and by 2018 it had doubled to 20.82 million. The housing supply rate also increased from 74% to over 104% during the same period. However, the homeownership rate only increased by 4 percentage points from 54% to 58%. Despite continuous housing supply, 40% of households remain homeless, and the number of households owning multiple homes is steadily increasing."

He added, "Such principles are already institutionalized. Priority points are given to the homeless in subscription applications, and comprehensive real estate taxes and other taxes are heavily imposed on multi-homeowners who do not actually reside in their homes. Single-homeowners receive basic deductions and long-term holding special deductions. All of these reflect the fundamental principle of one household one home."

Regarding various controversies surrounding Byun Chang-heum, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Rep. Jin said, "During the confirmation hearing, the nominee needs to offer a sincere apology and explanation. If he honestly apologizes for the problematic remarks and clarifies that the context and intent were not as perceived, there should be no problem."

Rep. Jin continued, "Byun is both a scholar and a civic activist who has voiced opinions on real estate policy. Having served as president of SH and LH (Korea Land and Housing Corporation), he can maintain consistency in government policy. Furthermore, he is expected to present progressive ideas related to housing supply policies."

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