Growing Calls for Byeon Chang-heum's Resignation Even Within the Ruling Party

National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee Proposes 'LH Prevention Act'
Growing Anger in Political Circles
"Loss of Public Trust... Decision Needed"

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byeon Chang-heum is attending the "16th Real Estate Market Inspection Meeting of Related Ministers" held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] On the 12th, the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee held a plenary session and submitted a partial amendment bill to the Special Act on Public Housing, commonly known as the ‘LH Prevention Act.’ The bill stipulates that public officials who speculate on public land development sites using insider information will be subject to imprisonment for more than one year or a fine ranging from three to five times the amount of profit gained.

At the meeting attended by Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byeon Chang-heum, Moon Jin-seok, a Democratic Party lawmaker who proposed the bill, raised his voice, saying, “It is a serious antisocial crime that public officials, who should serve the people and prioritize public interest, use insider information to speculate, mocking national policies and deceiving the public.” Lawmakers from the People Power Party entered holding placards with the phrase ‘Accept the National Investigation on Unfair Acquisition of Development Profits’ to express their protest.

Amid growing political anger over the LH scandal, voices demanding Minister Byeon’s resignation are also emerging within the ruling party. On the previous day, Noh Woong-rae, a Supreme Council member, stated on Facebook, “At the very least, Minister Byeon, who was the president at the time, and Jang Chung-mo, the current acting president of LH who was the head of the Gyeonggi regional headquarters, should take responsibility and decide their own positions.” Yoo In-tae, a senior ruling party figure and former Secretary-General of the National Assembly, said on the radio that day, “Minister Byeon keeps making remarks that burden the government. It seems he should step down after the investigation results are out.” Former lawmaker Kim Hae-young, who is in charge of the Busan City Party’s by-election pledge committee, also pointed out on Facebook the previous day, “As the head of the government organization responsible for real estate policy, he has lost the public’s trust to continue his role,” and added, “A decision is necessary.”

Although the ‘Byeon Chang-heum resignation theory’ has emerged as a way to resolve the LH scandal, there has been no significant change in the Blue House’s stance yet. The basic perception at the Blue House seems to be that the possibility of replacing the minister at this point, before the investigation is completed, is low. Avoiding personnel changes for the sake of shifting the situation is also President Moon Jae-in’s style of personnel management. The Blue House is also concerned that replacing Minister Byeon could send the wrong signal regarding housing supply policies, including the promotion of the 3rd New Town development.

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