The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized that the process of designating regulated areas under the October 15 real estate measures followed proper legal procedures. The opposition party has claimed that the government designated these areas without using the latest statistics, arguing that this constitutes a violation of the law and has led to legal disputes. However, the ministry firmly stated that there was no illegality involved.
Kim Kyuchul, Director of the Housing and Land Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, met with reporters at a restaurant near the Government Sejong Complex on the 12th and said, "We debated extensively whether to announce the real estate measures before or after Chuseok, but ultimately decided it was best to take a comprehensive view after the holiday." He added, "The market was in a critical situation and a prompt announcement was necessary, so the earliest possible time was the 15th."
Kim Yoonduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, attended a joint briefing on housing market stabilization measures held at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno, Seoul, on the 15th of last month, where he announced real estate measures. The announcement was attended by Koo Yoonchul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Lee Okwon, Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, Yoon Changryul, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and Lim Kwanghyung, Commissioner of the National Tax Service. October 15, 2025 Photo by Jo Yongjun
According to the ministry, the Housing Policy Deliberation Committee convened on the 13th and 14th of last month. The meeting and the decision were conducted in writing. Reportedly, there were no committee members who opposed the designation of regulated areas at that time. Kim stated, "Delaying any further would have led to an unmanageable situation, and we determined that measures taken too late would not be effective."
Regarding the use of statistics from June to August as the basis for the designation, the ministry argued that using the latest available statistics (from July to September) would have been problematic, as those figures had not yet been published, and relying on unpublished data could itself be illegal. Lee Yuri, Director of the Housing Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, explained, "When determining the requirements for designating regulated areas, we compare the housing price increase rate and the inflation rate over the most recent three months." She added, "If statistics for the specified period are unavailable, regulations require us to use the data from the closest available month or year when assessing whether the designation criteria are met."
Kim Yoonduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, mentioned on the 10th that if the government were to lose the lawsuit, it would be possible to lift the regulated area designation, but he assessed the likelihood of losing as low. Kim Kyuchul said, "Given the significant impact on the public and the need for an accurate judgment, it is necessary to seek advice from legal experts." He continued, "However, since the decision was made according to proper procedures, I believe it would be difficult to accept any ruling that finds the process illegal."
He also emphasized that there was no external pressure at the time of the policy decision. Kim stated, "There was absolutely no external interference," and added, "Some have suggested that we should have delayed the announcement, but at the time, we considered it the best plan at the best possible moment."
Kim Kyuchul, Director of the Housing and Land Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is answering questions from the press corps at a restaurant in Sejong on the 12th. Photo by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Regarding cases where individuals suffered losses due to the prohibition on transferring cooperative membership status, the ministry plans to review such cases selectively and announce supplementary measures as early as this week. In some parts of Seoul, there is a time gap between the signing of a preliminary sales agreement and the formal contract, which has caused confusion over the application timing of the October 15 measures.
Kim Kyuchul said, "There are various issues causing inconvenience to the public, such as difficulties in obtaining loans and obstacles to housing supply, and we are reviewing each case individually. For those who applied for permits before the regulated area designation but had not yet completed their contracts and are now facing disadvantages, we will take these circumstances into account and aim to reach a decision as early as this week." He added, "We will also listen to other concerns and review possible improvements to address them."
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