'Basic Housing Debate' Lee Jae-myung "Ongoing" vs Park Yong-jin "Convenience-oriented"

Democratic Party presidential primary candidate Lee Jae-myung is delivering a policy presentation at the 'Presentation (PT) Interview Policy Unpack Show' held on the 7th at Yeon Studio in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, engaged in a verbal dispute with Assemblyman Park Yong-jin on the 10th regarding one of his policies, the 'Basic Housing.'

On the afternoon of the 9th, Lee posted on his Facebook, stating, "In a recent TV debate, Candidate Park criticized that 'Gyeonggi Province does not implement Basic Housing but only promotes it,'" and countered, "To conclude, the A3 block of the Dasan Jigeum district in Namyangju City has been selected as a pilot area and is being promoted."

Lee explained, "Basic housing near Anyang City's Beomgye Station will be established in the public complex office building," adding, "For Basic Housing to be fully implemented, amendments to the enforcement decree of the Public Housing Special Act, an increase in floor area ratio near stations, and institutional improvements such as lowering the loan rate of the Housing and Urban Fund must follow."

Regarding the Basic Housing policy, he explained, "Basic Housing is public housing that builds high-quality apartments in good locations, allowing anyone without a home to live long-term for over 30 years at an appropriate price."

He also emphasized, "The reason Basic Housing does not exist now is that 'Basic Housing' is not defined in the law," and added, "It is a simple matter to change the eligibility from 'low-income or those below 150% of median income' to 'anyone without a home,' and I am also frustrated as to why this is not possible."

Lee stated, "It is a misunderstanding to say that opening a promotional center to introduce the project is just 'promotion only' to dispel prejudices against public rental housing," and emphasized, "Basic Housing is a work in progress. You cannot be full from the first bite, and a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, running in the presidential primary election [Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to Lee's claims, Assemblyman Park posted on Facebook the same day, rebutting, "If applied as you say, does that mean the Jigeum district and Beomgye Station complex office building are not Basic Housing?"

Park criticized, "If I say I have 'equipped existing apartments with the concept of Yongjin Housing,' does that mean they become Yongjin Housing? This is too convenient and arbitrary."

He added, "At first, you said there was a 'Basic Housing pilot complex,' then changed it to a 'pilot project site,' and yesterday said 'Basic Housing is not defined in the law,'" and repeatedly criticized, "In the end, Candidate Lee has 'installed the concept alone'."

Regarding Lee's statement that he "sowed the seeds of a universal housing welfare system," Park pointed out, "Basic Housing has neither sown seeds nor anything; it is just a loud banner hung at the village entrance."

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