Ministry of Gender Equality to Strengthen Housing Support for Victims of Violence... Longer Usage Periods and Expanded Shelters

Temporary Shelters Expanded to 80 Units, Usage Period Extended to 3 Months
Priority Public Rental Housing Admission Criteria Eased
Housing Support Program Improved to Allow Up to 6 Years of Residency

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on January 29 that it will further strengthen housing support to ensure the safety and help restore the daily lives of victims of stalking and dating violence.

Won Minkyoung, Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Photo by Jo Yongjun

First, the number of emergency housing support temporary shelters will be increased from 76 to 80, and the usage period will be extended from the current maximum of 30 days to up to three months. This is intended to provide an initial protection foundation for victims in crisis situations. The number of users of emergency housing support increased by 63%, from 272 in 2024 to 442 last year.

For rental housing support, the usage period has been extended from the previous maximum of three months (with a one-time extension possible) to up to 12 months. As of the end of December last year, the occupancy rate for rental housing reached 70.8%.

For victims who have difficulty using temporary shelters due to the distance from their current residence or workplace, the ministry will provide financial support so they can use alternative accommodations such as shared lodging facilities of their choice.

In addition, the ministry plans to improve the "Housing Support Program for Victims of Violence," which provides residential spaces for all victims and their families-regardless of the type of violence, including domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and dating violence-for up to six years. This program is operated so that victims can receive housing support once their case is confirmed. This year, 10 more units will be secured, bringing the total to 364 units, and the scale of support continues to expand.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is also pursuing a plan to ease the eligibility criteria for priority public rental housing admissions by public housing operators such as Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) and Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH), from the current requirement of "residing in a housing support facility for more than two years" to "more than one year." To this end, the ministry plans to complete the revision of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims within the first half of this year.

Won Minkyoung, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "The most urgent need for victims of violence is a safe place to live," and added, "We will establish a seamless housing support system that can be felt in the field and actively support victims so they can safely restore their daily lives and achieve independence."

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