(Seoul=News1) Reporter Kim Myeongseop = The number of lease contracts converted from jeonse to monthly rent hits a five-year high. According to actual transaction data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 5th, the total number of renewed apartment lease contracts in Seoul last year is 98,480. Of these, 5,187 are renewals converted from jeonse to monthly rent, accounting for 5.26% of the total. The photo shows a real estate agency in Seoul. Jan. 5, 2026/Courtesy of News1

The share of monthly rent transactions among dwelling lease contracts topped 60% last year. Six out of 10 lease contracts were for monthly rent. Key dwelling supply indicators such as permits and groundbreakings were found to have fallen from the previous year.

According to the "December 2025 housing statistics" released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 30th, nationwide dwelling permits from Jan. to Dec. last year totaled 379,834 units. Including non-apartments, the figure was down 12.7% from 2024. By region, the greater Seoul area (222,704 units) and non-capital regions (157,130 units) fell 4.9% and 21.9%, respectively. Seoul (41,566 units) also decreased 19.2%.

Groundbreakings also decreased. Nationwide, they totaled 272,685 units, down 10.1% from 2024. However, Seoul (32,119 units) rose 23.2% from a year earlier, and the greater Seoul area (166,823 units) increased 2.2%.

The annual supply of presales for multifamily housing was 198,373 units nationwide, down 14.1% from the same period in 2024. Nationwide completions (move-ins) were 342,399 units, down 17.8% from 2024. Seoul (54,653 units) increased 39.7% over the same period.

Source = Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport/Courtesy of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Last month's apartment transaction volume was 48,978 nationwide, down 0.3% from November last year. Seoul (4,871) rose 10.8%, and the greater Seoul area overall (21,225) increased 2.2%. For the full year last year, Seoul's apartment transaction volume totaled 83,131, up 42.6% from 2024.

Last month's nationwide lease transaction volume for jeonse and monthly rent totaled 254,149, up 22.2% from November last year.

Jeonse transaction volume was 87,254, up 15.4% from November, and monthly rent (including deposit-based monthly rent and semi-jeonse) was 166,895, up 26.1%. On a cumulative basis from Jan. to Dec. last year, the share of monthly rent transactions among all jeonse and monthly rent contracts was 63.0%, surpassing 60%. The monthly rent share continued to rise from 43.5% in 2021 to 52.0% in 2022, 54.9% in 2023, and 57.6% in 2024, through last year.

Meanwhile, as of the end of last month, nationwide unsold dwellings stood at 66,510 units, down 3.3% (2,284 units) from November. Unsold units after completion also decreased 1.8% (525 units) from the previous month to 28,641 units. In non-capital regions, unsold units after completion totaled 24,398, accounting for 85.2% of the total.

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