Kim Hyun-ah "Until the day before, they said 'there is no supply shortage' and lifted the Greenbelt... The government must clarify its position"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Hyun-ah, a member of the Future United Party's emergency committee, stated, "If the Greenbelt is to be released, there must be a social consensus that supply is insufficient," and emphasized that the government needs to clarify its position.

On the 16th, Kim appeared on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' and said, "The Democratic Party of Korea and the other three ministries (Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Seoul City) are all showing discord, which is pure confusion."

He pointed out, "It seems necessary for the government to have a clear stance on whether it acknowledges the supply shortage or not. If the Greenbelt really needs to be released, there must be a social consensus that supply is insufficient, that the current situation is unacceptable, and that there is no answer other than releasing the Greenbelt."

Kim said, "However, Minister Kim Hyun-mi of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said until the day before that 'there is no supply shortage,' and yesterday morning, the vice minister appeared on a news program and said, 'We have never considered releasing the Greenbelt.' Then suddenly, after the afternoon party-government meeting, they said they would review the Greenbelt. I don't even know if there is accurate objective data within the ministry regarding the supply shortage," he said.

He added, "First, there must be a clear government position on whether there is a housing shortage or not, and if there is a shortage, whether housing supply is impossible without releasing the Greenbelt. Cutting off the discussion and focusing only on the Greenbelt release is not addressing the fundamental issue at all," he said.

He also pointed out environmental issues related to the Greenbelt release. Kim said, "Even during the period of rapid economic growth, the Greenbelt was strictly protected. If it is released without a clear judgment that supply is insufficient, the social and economic costs lost will be much greater than the benefits," adding, "I don't understand why environmental groups are remaining silent." As alternatives to the Greenbelt, he mentioned idle land within Seoul, and easing redevelopment and reconstruction regulations.

Regarding the three lease laws, he said, "Rents could skyrocket, and landlords will be able to choose tenants selectively," and warned, "For high-quality housing, landlords will pick tenants, while rental houses will not be repaired at all, causing the quality of rental housing to decline sharply."