"No Problem" Democratic Party's Relay to Defend Monthly Rent... "Can't Understand the Money Disappearing Every Month," Frustration

Sobyunghun "Common People Suffer Due to Jeonse"
Yoon Junbyung "Switching to Monthly Rent Is Not a Bad Phenomenon"
Citizens "Do Not Relate to Public Sentiment" 'Criticism'

So Byung-hoon, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Juhee Kang] Amid controversy over Rep. Yoon Jun-byeong of the Democratic Party of Korea’s remarks that "monthly rent is better than jeonse" in relation to the three lease laws, fellow party member Rep. So Byung-hoon has also sparked public outrage by defending monthly rent, questioning "Should ordinary people suffer because of jeonse?"

As inappropriate remarks from ruling party figures continue, citizens are raising their voices in criticism, saying these comments "show a complete lack of understanding of the plight of ordinary people."

Earlier, on the 3rd, Rep. So stated at the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee plenary meeting, "I question why the jeonse system exists only in Korea and a few other countries, causing ordinary people to suffer," expressing support for monthly rent.

He added, "Ultimately, those without money must take out loans from financial institutions to enter jeonse," and argued, "If jeonse is converted to monthly rent at an appropriate ratio, there is no problem." His point was that if the interest on jeonse loans and the burden of monthly rent are at similar levels, replacing jeonse with monthly rent would not pose a significant issue.

Previously, on the 2nd, Rep. Yoon also faced public backlash for similar remarks posted on his Facebook, stating that "the transition from jeonse to monthly rent is not a bad phenomenon."

On the 30th of last month, in response to Rep. Yoon Hee-sook of the United Future Party criticizing in the National Assembly plenary session that "due to the three lease laws, jeonse is inevitably heading toward rapid extinction," Rep. Yoon countered, saying, "The jeonse system is destined to naturally disappear as income levels rise."

He further pointed out, "A world where everyone lives on monthly rent is approaching, and those lamenting the disappearance of the jeonse system seem to have a mindset stuck in the past development era."

Yoon Joon-byung, member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yonhap News

As ruling party lawmakers continue to defend monthly rent, citizens have strongly criticized these remarks as "out of touch with public sentiment."

Netizens expressed their frustration with comments such as, "Members of the National Assembly have high salaries, so they don’t worry whether it’s jeonse or monthly rent, hence they say such things," "With jeonse, you can pay interest and save a little, and the jeonse deposit is returned later, but monthly rent is money that goes out every month?how can they not understand this?" "How can lawmakers who make laws not understand the situation of ordinary people and still claim they will control real estate prices?" and "If jeonse disappears, ordinary citizens will have to pay monthly rent for life and never be able to buy a home?do they even realize this?"

When asked if he had ever lived on monthly rent, Rep. Yoon responded, "I have lived in a multi-family house at the foot of Bukhansan for over 30 years for actual residence, not viewing the house as speculation or investment," and claimed, "I am currently practicing living on monthly rent myself."

However, it was confirmed that Rep. Yoon currently owns two properties in Seoul?one house in Gugidong, Jongno-gu, and an officetel in Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu?and the house he claimed to be living on monthly rent in is actually in his constituency, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, which further fueled public anger.

On an online community, netizen A strongly criticized, "He talks about monthly rent in Seoul but says he is practicing it by living on monthly rent in Jeongeup? Owning your original home and living on monthly rent is completely different from a non-homeowner living on monthly rent. He is playing word games."

As the controversy spread, on the 3rd, Rep. Yoon appeared on MBC radio’s "Kim Jong-bae’s Focus" and explained, "It is inappropriate to label jeonse as good and monthly rent as bad, so I wanted to caution against that," but on the same day, he appeared on another radio show and maintained his stance, saying, "The transition to monthly rent is a very natural trend."

On the 2nd, Yoon Joon-byung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, replied to a netizen's comment with a nested comment. In response to the question, "Do you live in a monthly rental?" he answered, "I am practicing it myself." Photo by Yoon Joon-byung, Facebook capture.

In response, the United Future Party has also continued to criticize ruling party lawmakers.

On the 3rd, at the party’s emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly, floor leader Joo Ho-young criticized, "Former Blue House policy chief Jang Ha-sung said, ‘Not everyone needs to live in Gangnam. I know because I lived there,’ and now a Democratic Party lawmaker (Yoon Jun-byeong) talks about monthly rent without knowing how much experience he has with it or understanding the pain and difficulties of those who live on monthly rent."

Emergency committee member Kim Hyun-ah, in an interview with CBS radio’s "Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show," pointed out, "Rep. Yoon seems to think very lightly of the market," and questioned, "Does he lack empathy for the serious situation, such as the disappearance of jeonse rights?"