[Anchor]

It's time for "Friendly Economy" on Friday with reporter Han Jiyeon. Han, I understand a system is being introduced where Jeonse deposits are entrusted to a public institution?

[Reporter]

Under this system, the Jeonse deposit is entrusted to HUG, the Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation, instead of the landlord, and the operating profits are paid out to the landlord monthly like monthly rent.

The Jeonse shortage is quite severe these days.

With loan regulations reducing the supply of Jeonse properties itself, a scarcity of Wolse (monthly rent) properties is also unfolding.

Emerging against this backdrop is the "Jeonse-Wolse Safe Trust."

The core of this system is that the tenant's deposit does not pass through the landlord's hands but instead goes through HUG, and when the contract ends, the deposit is returned in full.

In other words, it means "the risk of losing your money disappears."

For landlords, the biggest advantage is that HUG unconditionally pays the promised returns, allowing them to steadily receive money every month without worrying about unpaid rent.

For tenants, they don't have to worry about losing their money, and because they don't need to separately sign up for a Jeonse deposit return guarantee and a Jeonse loan guarantee, they can also reduce their burden of guarantee fees.

[Anchor]

However, from the landlord's perspective, they won't be receiving a large lump sum of money upfront. Would they have any incentive to use this system?

[Reporter]

The safe trust is a policy designed to encourage offering properties as Jeonse, so tenants can fully enjoy the aspects where Jeonse is more advantageous than Wolse.

This is an example calculation provided by the government.

Assuming there is a house with a market value of 300 million won and a Jeonse deposit of 200 million won, living under a regular Wolse contract would require a deposit of 10 million won and 740,000 won per month.

However, to move in with Jeonse using the safe trust, the tenant must prepare 20% of the 200 million won Jeonse deposit, which is 40 million won, with their own funds.

Assuming they take out a Jeonse loan for the remaining 160 million won, the monthly interest comes out to about 530,000 won.

While an additional 30 million won in lump-sum cash is needed, the monthly outgoing money decreases by 200,000 won.

Even if that 30 million won had simply been left in a bank, excluding the accrued interest, the actual amount saved is around 100,000 won per month.

This system will be implemented first for housing priced at 2 billion won or less, and there are no separate restrictions on income or assets.

The procedures will proceed in order with a public notice in late September, applications in October, contracts in November, and move-ins starting at the end of the year.

However, there are also concerns that need to be pointed out.

Originally, Jeonse deposits are used as a means for landlords to "borrow money interest-free."

It is a way to cover the shortfall when buying a house using the tenant's money.

If they participate in the safe trust, this money becomes completely locked up and unusable.

Therefore, experts express concerns that landlords who think, "Unless the returns are definitively better, I'd rather just take monthly rent," might increase, which could paradoxically cause the Jeonse system itself to collapse even faster.

In fact, even in a preliminary survey, the willingness to participate came out to only 20%.

Consequently, HUG stated that it plans to induce participation by adding tax benefits, such as reductions in rental income tax.

[Anchor]

The last topic is about Homeplus, which has reopened its doors.

[Reporter]

Homeplus announced its repayment plan yesterday (August 20) on the premise of the approval of its rehabilitation plan.

The plan is to put out immediate fires by selling closed stores and pay off the remaining debt with profits earned from business operations.

Customers have been flocking to discount events since Homeplus reopened.

Out of the 67 stores that have reopened in this manner, the remaining 37 are currently going through closure procedures.

Among these, Homeplus plans to sell all 19 stores directly owned by the company by February 2028.

The proceeds from these sales will be used to pay off the most urgent debt that needs to be resolved first, known as "trust collateral bonds" held as collateral by Meritz Financial Group.

This debt must be paid off so that the remaining stores released from collateral can be used as a basis for new loans.

Loans are scheduled to be secured using 38 stores as collateral across two separate occasions in 2030 and 2037.

Based on appraised values, these 38 stores are estimated to be worth approximately 2.8 trillion won.

Homeplus expects that around 2030, all 67 stores will be operating normally, generating annual sales of 4.3 trillion won and operating profits in the 160 billion won range.

It also forecasts that by 2037, operating profits will grow to the 210 billion won range.