Jeonnam Council Member Kang Moonseong Urges Urgent Measures for Neglected Aging Booyoung Rental Apartments

72 Out of 251 Complexes Nationwide Are Concentrated in Jeonnam
Failure to Fulfill Legal Obligations... Responsible Management Needed

Kang Moonseong, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Yeosu District 3), highlighted the poor living conditions of aging Booyoung rental apartments in the province during the 393rd temporary session of the Jeonnam Provincial Council's administrative and educational questioning held on September 16, and emphasized that Jeonnam Province must come up with proactive measures.

Assemblyman Kang stated, "Currently, there are 117 private rental housing complexes in Jeonnam Province, of which 36 are Booyoung Housing complexes, accounting for 30% of the total. In particular, there are 15 complexes in Yeosu alone, and more than half of these have been in use for over 20 years and are severely deteriorated."

Kang Moonseong, Jeonnam Provincial Councilor.

He presented concrete examples of the severe living conditions through publicly released photos and videos, including: peeling exterior paint; wall cracks and mold; non-functioning apartment broadcasting systems; cracks and exposed rebar in corridor ceilings; structures inaccessible to seniors using wheelchairs; mold and corrosion in bathrooms; and a lack of CCTV and security lighting within the apartment complexes.

Assemblyman Kang pointed out, "Booyoung Housing, as the rental business operator, is not carrying out the required eight-year maintenance cycle stipulated under the 'Long-term Repair Plan Standards.' Even if this is violated, the penalty is limited to a fine of up to 10 million won, which is effectively not a deterrent." He also stressed the need for stronger measures in cooperation with the central government.

He added, "Yeosu City has repeatedly sent official requests for repairs to Booyoung, but no meaningful action has been taken. The province must work together with Yeosu City and strongly demand that Booyoung fulfill its corporate social responsibility."

Assemblyman Kang further noted, "Out of 251 Booyoung apartment complexes nationwide, 72 are concentrated in Gwangju and Jeonnam, making Jeonnam the region with the highest number of Booyoung apartments in the country. Booyoung began its rental housing business in Yeosu and has grown into a nationwide company, so it is now time for responsible management for the residents of Jeonnam."

In response, Moon Inki, Director of Construction and Transportation at Jeonnam Province, stated, "We conducted an emergency safety inspection of Booyoung apartments in both construction and electrical areas, in cooperation with the provincial Architectural Safety Advisory Group and the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation. We will share the inspection results with Yeosu City and notify Booyoung to make improvements, and the province will continue to monitor all areas within its authority."

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