Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a national public forum on real estate policy held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a national public forum on real estate policy held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Monday that resolving the country's real estate challenges is an imperative — and a difficult one — requiring the government to listen carefully to the diverse concerns of individual citizens and find common ground.

Speaking at a national public forum on real estate policy she chaired at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, Han said real estate is "a truly critical issue" in which "all 50 million citizens have a direct stake — as the president has repeatedly said — and you are all experts."

She said the complexity of the issue stems from the wide range of circumstances people face. "Young people, newlyweds, those without homes, multi-property owners, rental business operators, and jeonse and monthly rent tenants all have different concerns, and they support or oppose different measures," she said, adding that "conflicting interests make it genuinely difficult to reach a consensus."

Han also noted that real estate accounts for 71.9 percent of net household assets, saying the public's strong interest is entirely understandable. "There are still many people struggling to secure a place to live," she said. "As prime minister, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for your hardships and for finding ways to address them."

Han said the forum was convened as a follow-up to a presidential debate held last week, explaining that some participants had not had enough time to speak and that many opinions remained to be heard. "We felt it was necessary to listen to even one more voice," she said, adding that the president had encouraged her to create another opportunity for discussion.


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