1.7 Billion 'Raemian' Resident Jin Sun-mi Faces Backlash: "Tell Others to Give Up Apartment Fantasies? Start with Yourself"

Kim Ye-ryeong "Why does Representative Jin live in an apartment, not a rental house?" pointed out
Kim Geun-sik "It's like saying 'If there is no bread, eat cake'" sarcastically remarked

Jin Sun-mi, Head of the Future Housing Promotion Team of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the LH Housing Welfare Project Field Meeting held at the LH Purchased Rental Housing Seodohyu Village located in Gangdong-gu, Seoul on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] Jin Sun-mi's statement, "If you give up the illusion of apartments, you can secure the quality of housing even in rental housing," is causing controversy among some netizens and political circles.

Jin, who served as the Chairperson of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and the Head of the Democratic Party's Future Housing Promotion Team, said on the 20th during a visit to a multi-family rental housing purchased by the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) in Jangan-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, "There is no difference even if I compare it with the apartment I currently live in," adding, "The biggest problem now is the idea that it must be an apartment."

Netizens who heard the statement harshly criticized her, saying, "She lives in an apartment herself but practices double standards (Naeronomul: 'If I do it, it's romance; if others do it, it's an affair')."

According to the National Assembly members' asset disclosure released in March, Jin owns a leasehold right for an 84㎡ exclusive area in a newly built apartment called 'Raemian Solvenue' in Gangdong-gu, valued at around 1.7 billion KRW.

Criticism also came from political circles. Kim Ye-ryeong, spokesperson for the People Power Party, pointed out, "Why does Jin live in an apartment instead of rental housing?"

She continued, "She dismisses even the basic hopes of the people and household heads as 'illusions' to cover up policy failures," adding, "If she just coolly admitted the wrong policy, but instead tries to forcefully justify it with sophistry, it leads to absurd remarks disconnected from public sentiment."

Professor Kim Geun-sik, head of the Songpa-byeong district of the People Power Party, rebutted on Facebook, "If the problem is citizens only preferring apartment leases, then Jin should move into a government rental villa first," explaining, "Families with children want apartment leases despite the high cost because of transportation access and educational environment."

He further criticized, "Her words are like saying 'If there is no bread, then eat cake,'" calling it "an outrageous remark."

As the controversy spread, Jin posted on her Facebook account that afternoon, "The intention was to suggest that looking into quality rental housing could help overcome immediate difficulties," offering a direct explanation.