A public-private partnership project to repair old houses in vulnerable urban areas is being promoted through cooperation between the government, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 2nd signed a memorandum of understanding in Yeouido, Seoul, with the Presidential Committee for Decentralization and Balanced Development, Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG), KCC, COMMAX, KCC Shinhan Wallpaper, Kyungdong Navien, and Habitat for Humanity Korea for the "2026 public-private partnership old housing improvement project."
This project, underway since 2018, improves old dwellings by leveraging private sponsorship and expertise to supplement the home repair support of the Urban Vulnerable Areas Living Conditions Improvement Project (Saetteul Maeul Project).
The central and local governments are responsible for project planning and administrative support. HUG provides project sponsorship funds; KCC provides energy-efficient and fire-prevention building materials such as windows and doors; COMMAX provides smart home security materials; KCC Shinhan Wallpaper provides wallpaper; Kyungdong Navien supports heating facilities; and Habitat for Humanity Korea carries out project implementation, including home repair work.
Through this project, the government has improved 1,325 old dwellings across 37 project sites from 2018 to date. Last year, it improved a total of 221 old dwellings in five areas: Eomgwang Village in Busanjin District, Busan; Geundorangjil Village in Gwangsan District, Gwangju; Bongsan 2 District Village in Wonju, Gangwon; Naksujeong Village in Jeonju, North Jeolla; and Jeomchon 3-dong Village in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang.
For this year's project, among the Saetteul Maeul project sites currently underway (selected in 2023–2024), five districts that wished to pursue a public-private partnership were chosen through an open call: Namsan-Moru District in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi; Sinan and Anmak Districts in Andong, North Gyeongsang; Dochon Village District in Gwangyang, South Jeolla; Dongdaesin 1-dong in Seo District, Busan; and Yongdang 1 District in Mokpo, South Jeolla.
In the selected districts, a home repair program for roughly 344 households in old dwellings will be promoted. Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) will support residents' self-burdened shares, private companies will sponsor building materials, and Habitat for Humanity Korea will provide overall support for the repair work with professional personnel.
Kim Hyo-jung, director-general for urban policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), said, "We will continue to expand cooperation with the private sector so that residents in vulnerable areas who have not secured basic living conditions can live in a safe and pleasant environment."