Hong Joon-pyo: "Re-designation of Oh Se-hoon's Toheoje is an Unconstitutional Administrative Measure"

"I Hope the Land Permission System Returns to Its Essential Function"
Criticized as a Measure Contradicting the Free Democratic Economic Order

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon lifted the Land Transaction Permission System (Land Permission System) after 35 days and then decided to reinstate it, drawing criticism from Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who called it an "unconstitutional measure."

On the 20th, Mayor Hong posted on Facebook, "There has been much discussion recently about Mayor Oh's re-designation of land transaction permission zones in the three Gangnam districts and Yongsan District," adding, "I hope the Land Transaction Permission System returns to its essential function."

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu. Hong Joon-pyo Facebook

He stated that the Land Transaction Permission System was originally intended to prevent reckless land speculation. He continued, "The system is not meant to prevent speculation on apartments built on the land, but making even free sales of apartments subject to permission just because they are built on land goes against the original purpose of the Land Transaction Permission System," and criticized it as "a measure that also contradicts the free democratic economic order."

Mayor Hong said, "Of course, the concept of real estate distinguishes land and buildings as separate entities, but where in the world is there a practice of trading land and buildings separately?" He pointed out, "Various legal measures to prevent apartment speculation are already in place, so isn't it wrong for the Land Transaction Permission System, which is meant to prevent land speculation, to be distorted into a permission system for trading privately owned apartments?"

He added, "Applying a system meant for vacant land to apartment transactions is an unconstitutional administrative action."

Meanwhile, Mayor Oh, at a briefing on the designation of Seoul's land transaction permission zones held at the Government Seoul Office the previous day, announced a housing market stabilization plan expanding the land transaction permission zones to cover the entire three Gangnam districts (Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa) and Yongsan District. He said, "I humbly accept the criticism that volatility in the real estate market has increased centered on Gangnam since the lifting of the land transaction permission zones on February 12," and bowed his head, saying, "I sincerely apologize for causing concern."