청 "Advisory Staff Maintain 'Multiple Housing Disposal' Recommendation... Not Mandatory"

Cheong Wa Dae Panorama / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 1st, the Blue House stated that the recommendation to sell real estate "(real estate sales) recommendation will obviously be maintained" for some senior aides of the Presidential Secretariat who own multiple homes. Although the originally suggested sales deadline of '6 months' has passed, multiple aides still own multiple homes, raising concerns that the government's real estate policy message is not being effectively conveyed.

A senior Blue House official told reporters on the same day, "Some have sold their homes following the recommendation," adding, "'6 months' was not a legal deadline."

Yoon Do-han, the Blue House Director of Public Communication, stated on December 16 last year, "No Young-min, Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, requested senior officials at the secretary level and above in the Presidential Secretariat and the National Security Office to actively participate in the government's real estate price stabilization policy," and added, "No recommended that senior Blue House officials owning two or more homes in the Seoul metropolitan area dispose of all but one as soon as possible unless there are unavoidable reasons."

At that time, the Blue House set the recommendation compliance deadline at "about 6 months." While some aides have sold real estate following the recommendation, it has been identified that many aides, including Kim Jo-won, the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, still maintain multiple homes. However, since it is only a 'recommendation,' there is no means to enforce it.

A senior Blue House official said, "It was hoped that the homes would be sold within 6 months, but if there are unavoidable circumstances, they may sell after 6 months," adding, "The content remains that homes should be sold as recommended unless there are special circumstances. Nothing has changed."