The three final candidates for president of Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) have reportedly been narrowed down to three current and former LH executives. Attorney Lee Heon-uk, a closest aide to President Lee Jae-myung who had been mentioned as a candidate for the new president, did not apply.
According to the National Assembly's Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee and others on the 19th, LH selected three candidates for president (shortlist) and reported them to the presidential office. An official said, "I understand the list is filled only with current and former LH executives," adding, "Effectively, it is expected that an internal hire will become the next president."
Attorney Lee Heon-uk, who had drawn attention, reportedly did not apply for the presidency. Attorney Lee Heon-uk, who served as president of Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation, was said to have been named as the next president at one point after former LH President Lee Han-joon resigned, a story that spread inside and outside LH.
Lee served as an advisory attorney for Seongnam FC and Jubilee Bank (a bank that buys nonperforming loans in long arrears to reduce or forgive the debtor's debt) in 2015, when President Lee was mayor of Seongnam. In 2019, during President Lee's tenure as Gyeonggi governor, Lee was appointed president of Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation, at which time he developed the "basic dwellings" policy. He is also a high school alumnus of Jeong Jin-sang, former chief of political affairs for the Democratic Party of Korea leader and a close aide to President Lee Jae-myung.
Another official said, "It appears Lee did not apply because the fact that he is a close aide to the president became highlighted, causing psychological pressure."
Since LH's integrated launch, there has not been a single instance where a president from within the organization was appointed. If an internal candidate is appointed this time, it would mark the first internal president since LH's integrated launch.