Ahn Cheolsoo: "If Multiple-Home Ownership Is the Problem, the Comprehensive Real Estate Tax on Single-Home Owners Must Be Abolished"

"Taxing people just for owning an expensive home? That is not taxation but punishment"
"Consensus has formed within the ruling party... little chance of escalation into political strife"

Ahn Cheolsoo, Member of the People Power Party. Kim Hyunmin, Reporter

Ahn Cheolsoo, a Member of the People Power Party, criticized President Lee Jaemyung's Lunar New Year holiday social media (SNS) posts and argued that the comprehensive real estate tax imposed on owners of a single home should be abolished.

On the 19th, Ahn wrote on his own social media that President Lee Jaemyung "continued his remarks targeting the opposition party leader with various negative expressions such as speculation, preferential treatment, and immorality."

He went on to say, "President Lee Jaemyung claims that the problem lies in how many houses one owns, and that multi-homeowners are depriving those without homes of opportunities," adding, "If so, aren't the people who maintain just one home patriots who are giving genuine end-users the chance to own a home? Therefore, the comprehensive real estate tax imposed on owners of a single home should be abolished."

He also said that single-homeowners are people who align with President Lee Jaemyung's state affairs direction of cracking down on multi-homeowners. He argued, "Yet far from receiving any benefits, they are discriminated against by having to pay both property tax and the comprehensive real estate tax simply because they own one high-priced home in a particular area," and added, "By abolishing the comprehensive real estate tax only for single-homeowners, we can also expect a guiding effect that encourages multi-homeowners to put properties on the market."

Finally, he recalled that in May 2024, Representative Park Chandae, then the Democratic Party floor leader, and Supreme Council Member Ko Minjung had emphasized the need to abolish the comprehensive real estate tax on a single home, and said, "Since there is a certain consensus within the ruling party, there is little chance this will escalate into a political clash. In line with President Lee's view, one could say that those who own many houses should pay a lot of taxes. However, if someone owns only one home for actual residence and is still forced to pay additional taxes just because it is expensive, that is not taxation but punishment."