▲ President Lee Jae-myung
Addressing criticisms of the state's so-called "marriage penalties," President Lee Jae-myung stated that the government will fulfill its responsibilities to ensure that marriage becomes a hopeful new beginning rather than a burden, adding that 22 improvement tasks will be reviewed.
Writing on his social media yesterday (the 8th), President Lee stated, "Young people must never hesitate to get married because of state policies. I have instructed a thorough investigation and reporting of the institutional disadvantages that can arise from marriage."
He noted, "Through youth forums, real estate debates, and reviews by relevant ministries, we listened to various opinions. In that process, 22 tasks directly affecting housing and asset formation—such as loans, housing subscriptions, and taxes—were prioritized," introducing the tasks under the heading of "22 Marriage Penalties Found Through the Voices of Youth."
The "22 Marriage Penalty Tasks" include: ▲ easing income requirements for Diosm-dol home purchase and Beuteum-ok jeonse (lump-sum deposit) loans, as well as Bogeumjari Loans; ▲ easing childbirth and adoption requirements for newborn-specific special loans; ▲ expanding eligibility and dual-income income criteria for newborn-specific special loans; ▲ easing subscription requirements for newlyweds' special housing supply; ▲ expanding eligibility criteria for newlyweds' special supply and housing loans; ▲ expanding acquisition tax reductions for first-time homebuyers; and ▲ improving disadvantages regarding marriage-related tax credits.
Previously, during a senior secretaries meeting in February, President Lee received a report on the so-called "marriage penalties" where married individuals face disadvantages compared to unmarried people, particularly in loans and housing subscriptions, and instructed officials to identify and report such cases, emphasizing that they must be found and corrected.
The 22 tasks were reportedly compiled by the Presidential Secretariat's Office for Youth Futures, newly established under the Chief of Staff to the President last month.
President Lee emphasized, "I intend to meticulously examine one by one whether there are areas needing improvement and whether those solutions can be fair and of practical help to everyone."
He added, "I want to listen to the voices of the citizens and create tangible changes together. If there are any other systems you think are unreasonable, please feel free to share them."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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