Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, on the 14th said the reason Seoul's redevelopment and reconstruction are delayed is "if I had to name the single biggest cause, it was the cancellation or revocation of most redevelopment and reconstruction sites during former Mayor Park Won-soon's term."
After attending a Cabinet meeting that day, Mayor Oh held a briefing at Seoul City Hall and stated accordingly, saying, "Experts and citizens alike know that this is having the kind of impact we're seeing now five or 10 years later."
Mayor Oh attended the first Cabinet meeting since the June 3 local elections that day. There, he tried to convey his views on the government's real estate policy. But Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said, "Please submit it in writing."
Afterward, President Lee Jae-myung gave Mayor Oh a chance to speak before the closed-door portion of the Cabinet meeting, saying, "Please say a word of greeting." When Mayor Oh mentioned Seoul's real estate, the president said, "Let's discuss that later."
On this, Mayor Oh said, "I wanted to directly convey the situation in the Seoul dwellings market and citizens' urgent voices at the Cabinet meeting, but I was not given the opportunity," adding, "I find that very regrettable and unfortunate."
He added, "The Cabinet meeting should be a place for debate, but I was quite disappointed that I could only submit a report and had no chance to speak," and "however, I do not want to see this as an intentional 'passing' (exclusion)."
Mayor Oh also said the president effectively asked during the Cabinet meeting to "explain why the supply of apartments in Seoul is being delayed," adding, "I believe there is a very high possibility that (the president's) understanding of the situation is not precise," and "I will submit a second report so all of this can be fully understood."
Mayor Oh was said to have delivered a 30-page set of real estate policy proposals to the government. The proposals reportedly include measures to improve three areas: easing regulations on maintenance projects, revitalizing private rental dwellings, and tax reform.
Mayor Oh said, "We need to speed up maintenance projects, which are key to supplying dwellings in Seoul," adding, "Over the past three years, more than 90% of Seoul's dwellings supply has been handled by the private sector."
He continued, "There are 472 reconstruction and redevelopment sites, and over 700 maintenance projects if you include Moa Towns, and we need to focus our administrative capacity there."
Mayor Oh also cited regulation on relocation cost loans as one of the policies blocking rapid dwellings supply. He said, "Even tying up relocation costs needed while building new homes with loan regulations does not align with the policy goal of expanding supply," adding, "Only by reasonably improving relocation cost loan regulations and easing restrictions on the transfer of union member status can maintenance projects proceed normally."