Mang Seong-gyu, Chairperson of the National Assembly Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee, said regarding the construction of the new Gadeokdo airport, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should also consider directly carrying out the basic and detailed design," adding, "We need to find a way to push the project forward in the most stable manner." He proposed boosting the project's stability by having the ministry step in directly instead of using a turnkey method that leaves both design and construction to builders.
In an interview with ChosunBiz on 16th at the office of the Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee chair in the National Assembly, Chairperson Mang stated his views on economic issues under the committee's purview, including the government's housing supply measures, the law supporting victims of jeonse fraud, and the Gadeokdo new airport project. Mang is a three-term lawmaker representing Namdong-gu Gap, Incheon. He previously served as Vice Minister at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and as Gangwon Province vice governor for economic affairs.
Chairperson Mang stressed with regard to the Gadeokdo new airport construction project, which has been adrift since Hyundai E&C withdrew from participation in May, "The previous administration let time pass with four failed bids, but even now we must push the project forward stably." He said, "The Gadeokdo new airport is a national project promised by President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party, and since the opposition has also said it will actively push it, there should be no disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties," adding, "If necessary, the ministry should consider directly carrying out the basic and detailed design."
The proposal is to have the ministry directly handle the basic and detailed design to calculate an appropriate construction period and expense, whereas the project is currently being pursued via a turnkey method that entrusts even the design to private builders. Chairperson Mang said, "It will take an additional seven months compared with the turnkey method, but the government can calculate an appropriate construction period and expense, which is desirable for stable project execution."
During the interview, Chairperson Mang showed a phrase on his business card that reads "Toward a predictable and warm society!" and emphasized, "It is the state's duty to increase society's predictability and expand the social safety net." He also said that jeonse fraud is clearly a "social disaster" that occurred because the state failed to properly fulfill what it should do in this regard.
He is putting just as much effort into revising the special law that supports victims of jeonse fraud. According to Chairperson Mang, since the special law on jeonse fraud was enacted, there have been as many as 33,135 cases recognized as victims as of the end of Aug. this year.
Chairperson Mang emphasized, "Victims of jeonse fraud used systems the state put in place as preemptive measures against fraud, such as the licensed real estate agent system, the jeonse deposit return guarantee insurance, and the preferential repayment amount, yet they were defrauded," adding, "We must prevent damage caused by information asymmetry and punish the perpetrators who commit jeonse fraud very severely."
As a specific institutional supplement, Chairperson Mang proposed making the Association of Licensed Real Estate Agents a statutory body so the association can supervise and discipline agents. He also plans to push measures to mandate enrollment in per-case mutual aid when consumers want it and to impose a duty to report when one becomes aware of acts that disturb order in the real estate market.
Chairperson Mang said, "We included in this regular session's priority bills the expansion of eligibility for public rental housing support for jeonse fraud victims, the swift purchase of violating buildings among jeonse fraud-affected homes, and the addition of jeonse safe contract consulting to the duties of victim support centers," adding, "At the committee level, we will actively support prompt legislation."
They are also reviewing ways to improve the local housing association system, which President Lee Jae-myung has personally pointed out. The local housing association system was introduced to allow housing demanders to build multifamily dwellings themselves, but criticism persists that the success rate is too low due to difficulties in securing land and issues with additional contributions. Of the total 618 associations, 316 are stuck at the recruitment stage without obtaining establishment approval, and as many as 208 have failed to obtain establishment approval for more than three years after filing a recruitment report.
Chairperson Mang explained, "At the association establishment approval stage, 80% land ownership is required, and at the project plan approval stage, more than 95% is required; this gap makes it practically difficult to promote projects," adding, "At the end of Aug., we selected the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) as the contractor for a study to improve the system and plan to conduct research for six months." He said, "Around January to February next year, we expect the outline of the system improvements to emerge," adding, "The National Assembly will also move to improve the system to strengthen transparency in association operations and protect association members."
Chairperson Mang also said the National Assembly will actively help ensure smooth implementation of the Sept. 7 housing supply measures. He said, "The Sept. 7 measures are the Lee Jae-myung administration's first plan to expand housing supply, including a plan to start construction on 270,000 new dwellings annually in the Seoul metropolitan area for five years," adding, "It is positive in that it expands the role and function of housing supply centered on the public sector and prepares ways to speed up housing supply in already announced housing sites and urban areas."
He said, "Having LH step forward directly as the project implementer has the advantage of securing predictability and momentum in supply," adding, "We will thoroughly check the progress of supply implementation and, through cooperation with local governments and related agencies, work to resolve on-site difficulties such as licensing delays and a lack of infrastructure."
Chairperson Mang also mentioned steps to dispel concerns about LH's funding structure and financial conditions. He emphasized, "Since public housing sites require legalization for LH's direct implementation, we will also actively support legal revisions," adding, "If necessary, we plan to consult with the government to seek ways to expand fund support or make financing more flexible."
Chairperson Mang also said that the retiree city he has been promoting since the 21st National Assembly could be an alternative to the housing shortage in the Seoul metropolitan area. A retiree city is a senior housing complex that combines not only residential functions but also medical care, entertainment, exercise, and community facilities. The idea is to benchmark the U.S. retiree city "Sun City" so that retired older adults can live together in Korea.
Chairperson Mang explained, "When I was Gangwon Province vice governor for economic affairs, I envisioned creating a retiree city in a station area to respond to the preliminary feasibility study for the Chuncheon–Sokcho east–west high-speed rail," adding, "If a retiree city is created, it can relieve emotional isolation and serve as an alternative for regions at risk of population extinction."
In particular, he said, "If retirees rent out their homes in Seoul and move to a retiree city, it will also have the effect of supplying housing in the Seoul metropolitan area," adding, "I have worked as a public official for 30 years and as a politician for eight years, and I believe that establishing retiree cities in our society is my calling as a politician."