President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretary meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretary meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that real estate is "a core issue with a profound impact on people's lives and society as a whole, deepening polarization and inequality," and called on the government to align supply, tax and financial policies with market conditions and public expectations while concentrating its efforts on building a stable and systematic housing ladder.

Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung relayed the remarks to reporters after a senior secretary meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday, adding that Lee had singled out supply policy as a particular problem and ordered an all-out effort — including streamlining permit and licensing procedures and, where necessary, boldly reforming laws and regulations to secure residential land.

Meanwhile, a National Assembly forum on the May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, organized by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-suk, descended into chaos Thursday as shouting and physical altercations broke out.

The Democratic Party of Korea accused the People Power Party of denigrating the May 18 movement and warned of a strong response.

In response, Kang said the May 18 democratization movement was "a genuine pro-democracy movement that defended and advanced democracy in the Republic of Korea," adding that "any and all attempts to distort or belittle it must be firmly and decisively condemned by society."

Separately, a Cheong Wa Dae official, responding to questions about the trend in President Lee's approval rating, said the administration was "of course monitoring the approval rating closely" and was "carefully reviewing whether there have been any shortfalls in governance."

The official said the administration was aware of "the high level of public anxiety over housing stability and the real estate market," noting that a package of measures had been announced Thursday and was being discussed, and pledged to "respond with results." The official added that the administration would focus on improving livelihoods and delivering outcomes on the economy, calling those "the fundamental basis on which the public will render their judgment."


sunpine@heraldcorp.com