President Lee Jae-myung will preside over a public debate on July 23 to discuss overall real estate policies, including supply, finance, and taxation.

Leading up to this, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Financial Services Commission, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy will hold separate public forums from July 14 to 16, focusing on supply, finance, and taxation, respectively. These sessions aim to gather opinions from experts and the public, marking the start of full-scale discussions on real estate tax reform.

Kim Yong-beom, Chief of Policy at the Blue House, announced this during a briefing at the Blue House today (July 10).

"We plan to discuss the various opinions that have been presented so far and explore policy directions during the debates," Kim said. "We will also broadly collect opinions from citizens who cannot attend in person through online channels."

He noted, "Public concern surrounding the recent real estate market is growing. Housing is the issue most directly linked to the lives of the people, and the burden and anxiety regarding housing prices, jeonse (lump-sum housing lease) and monthly rent, loans, and home ownership are difficulties that many citizens feel in their daily lives."

He added, "The government is also taking this market situation very seriously and is reviewing policies with the top priority of ensuring housing stability for the public."

Kim explained, "The government has been pursuing policies under the principles of expanding supply and stabilizing the market. We are implementing supply plans without setbacks, and we are also carrying out necessary market stabilization measures for areas with concerns of overheating, such as the recent designation of land transaction permit zones in Dongtan, Giheung, and Guri."

In particular, he stated, "We are also reviewing rational improvement measures for the overall tax system, including ownership and transaction taxes, based on research projects and international cases."

At the same time, Kim explained the background for holding the debates, saying, "I do not believe that real estate policy can be completed solely by the government's judgment. Market conditions are constantly changing, and the difficulties felt by the public are diverse. There may be voices from the field that the government has not yet fully considered."

"What is needed now is not for the government to unilaterally provide answers, but a process where the public and experts work together to create solutions," Kim emphasized. "The government does not assume it has all the right answers. We will listen more to the voices from the field and actively accept better alternatives."

(Photo: Yonhap News)