SH Corporation President Race Narrowed to Two... Qualification Controversy Leads to Kim Heon-dong's Elimination

Imchuwi Recommends Final Candidates Jeong Yuseung and Han Changseop

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The candidates for the president of Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH) have been narrowed down to two. Kim Heondong, former head of the Real Estate and Construction Reform Division at the Economic Justice Practice Federation (Gyeongsilryeon), who was considered a strong candidate but became the center of controversy, was ultimately eliminated.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metropolitan Council on the 26th, the SH Corporation Executive Recommendation Committee recommended former SH Corporation Urban Regeneration Division Head Jeong Yuseung and former Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Public Housing Promotion Team Leader Han Changseop as the final candidates after conducting interviews the previous day. If Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon selects one of them as the final candidate, the appointment will be finalized after a personnel hearing at the city council.

The position of SH Corporation president has been vacant for over four months since former president Kim Seyong stepped down on April 7. After Mayor Oh took office, former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Hyuna was initially appointed through a public recruitment process, but she voluntarily resigned amid public criticism over her status as a multi-homeowner during the city council’s personnel hearing. The recommendation committee then immediately proceeded with a re-recruitment process.

Jeong, the former division head, previously served as director of the Seoul Metropolitan Housing and Architecture Bureau before joining SH Corporation in 2019. He worked at SH Corporation until last month, overseeing urban regeneration projects including Seoul’s vacant house policy. If Jeong is finally appointed, he will be the first SH Corporation insider to be promoted internally. He also applied during the first recruitment and was recommended as the second choice after former lawmaker Kim.

Han, the former team leader, is from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. He has experience leading the Happy Housing project during the Park Geunhye administration. Happy Housing is a public rental housing supply project built in urban areas aimed at stabilizing housing for young people such as university students, early career workers, newlyweds, and single-parent families, which aligns with SH’s responsibilities.

Meanwhile, former Gyeongsilryeon Real Estate and Construction Reform Division Head Kim, who was rumored to be appointed, was eliminated. The controversy arose due to his history of criticism against SH Corporation and ongoing lawsuits, which became public. Amid this, Gyeongsilryeon’s criticisms of the Moon Jaein administration’s real estate policies have also been questioned for sincerity, and with the ruling party-controlled city council promising rigorous scrutiny, both the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the recommendation committee appear to feel the pressure.

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