Bae Hyeonjin to Cho Kuk, Who Criticized Oh Sehoon: "It Was the Moon Jae-in and Park Won-soon Duo That Drove Housing Prices to Record Highs"

Cho Kuk Continues Criticism of Seoul's Real Estate Policy
Opposition Points Out "Cho Kuk's Double Standards"

Assemblywoman Hyeonjin Bae of the People Power Party criticized Cho Kuk, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, who called Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon's real estate policy "Gangnam-centric." She remarked, "It was Moon Jae-in (former president) and the late Park Won-soon (former Seoul mayor) who drove Gangnam 3 Districts' housing prices to record highs, so why are you blaming someone else?" On the 14th, Assemblywoman Bae posted on her social media, "It was the Moon Jae-in and Park Won-soon duo who sent the housing prices in the Gangnam 3 Districts, where the Cho family lives, to unprecedented levels," adding, "Why else would there have been a saying that buying a house when the leftist government takes office is a surefire win?"

Hyeonjin Bae, member of the People Power Party. Hyeonjin Bae Facebook

Assemblywoman Bae continued by referencing an article in which Chairman Cho criticized Mayor Oh's real estate policy, stating, "(Mayor Oh) should apologize for his Gangnam-centric real estate policy." Bae argued, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government under Oh Sehoon is focusing on rapidly expanding housing supply throughout the city, regardless of whether they are apartments or villas, by easing reconstruction and redevelopment regulations and implementing policies such as the 'Shintong Planning' and 'Moa Housing Project.' This is a policy that should be continued by any administration." She then targeted Chairman Cho, saying, "Stop with the greasy lies," and sarcastically referred to him as "the former Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, once a key figure in the Moon Jae-in administration, which established the myth of Gangnam's invincible real estate market and the collapse of the broader real estate market."

Cho Kuk: "Gangnam-centric policy requires a sincere apology," Oh Sehoon's side: "A Gangnam landlord claiming to stop Gangnam's invincibility"

Previously, Chairman Cho had criticized Mayor Oh's real estate policy on social media. He argued, "It will make the real estate market boil over and destabilize the housing situation for Seoul citizens," adding, "Historically, when reconstruction and redevelopment in Seoul's top-tier districts are activated, the prices of new apartments surge, and this side effect spreads to surrounding areas. Even if the supply is maximized in premium residential areas like Daechi-dong, ordinary citizens and young people still cannot access those homes."

Cho Kuk, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Chairman Cho, who criticized Oh Sehoon's policies as driving ordinary citizens and young people out of Seoul, said, "Oh Sehoon's style of reconstruction and redevelopment will greatly increase housing costs and only worsen the housing insecurity and costs for people without homes and young people. Mayor Oh must sincerely apologize for the disaster caused by his Gangnam-centric policy." In response to Chairman Cho's criticism, Kim Byungmin, Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and a close aide to Mayor Oh, posted on social media on the 14th under the title "A Gangnam landlord claiming to stop Gangnam's invincibility," directly criticizing Chairman Cho. He remarked, "It's truly odd to see someone who owns a reconstructed apartment in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, criticizing private-sector-led reconstruction."

Deputy Mayor Kim continued, "Isn't it essentially saying that while he lives comfortably inside the castle, he wants to lock the gates so that outsiders cannot enter?" He added, "Shouting about justice while closing the gates is not 'fairness' but merely 'defending privilege.'" Furthermore, Deputy Mayor Kim said, "If you really want to end Gangnam's invincibility, don't just sit comfortably in Gangnam giving empty advice. Instead, come up with alternatives in the winding alleyways of Gangbuk. Areas like Mia 2 District, Baeksa Village, and Changsin-Sungin-dong are at the starting point of a transformation not because of words, but because of sweat and action on the ground."