Kim Hyun-ah, who fiercely attacked Kim Eui-gyeom as "shameless," demands "SH President candidate to resign immediately"

Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party of Korea Commentary on the 30th

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Democratic Party of Korea in the Seoul Metropolitan Council (Floor Leader Jo Sang-ho) has demanded the immediate voluntary resignation of Kim Hyun-ah, the nominee for President of the Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH).

On the 29th, through a statement, their stance became even more hardline than their previous call for Mayor Oh Se-hoon to withdraw the nomination and recommend a new candidate. They strongly criticized Kim’s announcement to sell two out of her four real estate properties as an "unprecedented case of double standards."

During the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s confirmation hearing, Kim Hyun-ah, who sparked public outrage by referring to her multi-home ownership as a "generational privilege," announced that she would dispose of two real estate properties (an apartment and officetel) located in Busan as soon as possible. This immediately brought her past remarks under scrutiny.

When Kim served as the floor spokesperson for the Liberty Korea Party, she launched fierce attacks on Kim Eui-gyeom, then Blue House spokesperson, for purchasing a commercial building with a loan while living in official housing.

After Kim Eui-gyeom announced he would donate the profit from the sale, Kim Hyun-ah criticized him with harsh words such as "shameless" and "a typical Democratic Party trait." She said, "A person who clumsily defended themselves with all sorts of excuses now says they will donate money earned from speculation," adding, "It’s absurd and leaves one speechless."

Last year, as a member of the Future United Party’s emergency committee, she mocked former Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min’s plan to sell his house in Cheongju to keep his apartment in Banpo, saying, "How frustrating can this be? Is the Banpo house better than the Cheongju house, and is the Blue House better than the Banpo house?" She sarcastically added, "Selling the cheaper house first when owning two is a tax-saving strategy. Everything was planned. You must have been flustered because your deep intentions and plans were misunderstood."

Moon Jang-gil, spokesperson for the Democratic Party in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, recalled Kim Hyun-ah’s past offensive remarks and political attacks by saying, "How shameless can one be? Does she think the Cheongdam-dong house is better than the Busan house?" Some even harshly expressed that Kim’s boasting about selling two out of four houses, after mocking owners of one or two houses for selling theirs, is a "typical trait of the People Power Party."

Criticism was also raised that Kim Hyun-ah’s statement about selling two of her properties misleads the essence of the issue and aims to divert public opinion. The fundamental reason for judging her as "unfit" is her opposition to public housing policies and her belief that private-led multi-home ownership policies are correct, which conflicts with the role of the SH president to realize stable housing for ordinary citizens through public housing supply. Multi-home ownership is just one of many flaws Kim Hyun-ah has, and her mistaken market-first ideology that justifies real estate speculation by calling it a generational privilege is deemed inappropriate for the head of a public corporation.

Kim Hyun-ah is known as a defender of multi-home ownership. During her time as a member of the National Assembly, she argued, "Do not see multi-home owners as speculators," and "I cannot understand why owning many houses is viewed negatively." In the recent confirmation hearing, she also answered that legally regulating one household one house violates the constitution.

Kim Hyun-ah has also voiced strong support for private-led housing policies rather than public-led ones. In media interviews, she criticized the public housing project in the Dongja-dong shantytown area of Seoul as "real estate socialism." While serving as a lawmaker in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, she opposed public housing construction plans in Goyang’s Changneung and Tanhyeon areas. Her past remarks that housing supply should be left to the private sector while the public sector should focus on residential welfare reinforce claims that she merely represents the interests of private construction companies.

After the hearing, Kim Hyun-ah lowered her stance by saying she would sell her houses but made it clear she has no intention of giving up the SH presidency. Mayor Oh Se-hoon has remained silent despite mounting calls from various sectors of society to withdraw the nomination. Some predict that Mayor Oh may proceed with the appointment.

However, the Democratic Party in the Seoul Metropolitan Council clearly stated their opposition to appointing a public official who defends a "their own league" rather than "living well together," emphasizing their rejection of Kim Hyun-ah’s nomination. They also strongly criticized Kim’s actions of misleading public opinion and obscuring the essence of the issue through partial property sales without reconsidering her beliefs or values as a public official, calling it a betrayal of Seoul citizens.

Spokesperson Moon Jang-gil reiterated the call for Kim Hyun-ah’s voluntary resignation, saying, "Those who were called ‘people clumsily holding on’ have taken responsibility for the controversy and resigned." He also evaluated that Kim, who criticized public policies for stable housing supply and welfare for ordinary citizens as socialism, is more suited to be the head of a private real estate company than SH, and urged Mayor Oh Se-hoon to make a prompt decision.