As the ownership of high-priced apartments for investment by senior public officials has become a controversy following the Oct. 15 real estate measures, National Tax Service Administrator Lim Gwang-hyeon said on the 29th that when the lease on an apartment in Songpa District, Seoul, where he is not currently residing, expires, he will live there.
At a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee on this day, in response to Reform Party lawmaker Cheon Ha-ram's question, "Have you ever lived, even once, in the apartment in Songpa District, Seoul, that you have owned for a long time?", Administrator Lim answered, "When we first secured a home in Seoul, we intended to live there, but we couldn't because of (our child's) school transfer issues. I plan to live there after retiring."
Cheon said, "You bought a dwellings in Songpa District in 2004 for less than 200 million won, it was rebuilt, and the current actual transaction price of this apartment is about 1.7 billion won," adding, "During this long period, when prices rose significantly, didn't you never live there even once?"
When Cheon then asked, "Are you receiving a deposit and monthly rent?", Administrator Lim replied, "Yes."
Cheon asked, "Do you plan to sell it to a member of the public who will move in immediately?", and Lim said, "When the lease expires, we will live there." Lim added, "At the time of (purchase), there was no requirement to live there, but now, given public sentiment, we will live there."