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Moon's chief of staff pressed to step down over real estate row

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President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff Noh Young-min, center, and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee, left, are seated side by side during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Both figures, who are known to be the President's close confidants, have become symbols of the Moon administration's failing housing policy. Yonhap
President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff Noh Young-min, center, and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee, left, are seated side by side during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Both figures, who are known to be the President's close confidants, have become symbols of the Moon administration's failing housing policy. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

President Moon Jae-in and the ruling bloc have come under mounting criticism after one of his trusted aides invited public indignation over the government's real estate policy.

The aide, presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, is being pressured to step down over his poor handling of his ownership of multiple homes, which is seen as going against the government's real estate policy to prevent speculation and housing prices from rising further.

At a time when many Koreans are struggling to find jobs and buy their own homes, Noh had previously recommended high-ranking officials with multiple homes to sell off their extra properties that are not for primary residential purposes. But he has come under fire for delaying the sale of his own extra home ― he owns an apartment in the affluent southern Seoul area of Banpo, where his son now lives, and another in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, a city he represented as a lawmaker in the 19th National Assembly.

Last week, Cheong Wa Dae announced that he had put the Cheongju home up for sale, but public sentiment grew even worse because of his choice to retain the property in the affluent Seoul district.

Public criticism soared over the ranking official's "two-faced" real estate policy. Ultimately, Noh announced on Facebook, Wednesday, that he decided to sell his apartment in Banpo and offered a public apology for causing a stir.

"I tried to sell the Cheongju home to follow my own recommendation to senior Cheong Wa Dae aides to follow the one-house policy," he wrote. He explained that he initially decided to sell the Cheongju home because it had been vacant for many years while he served as Korean ambassador to China and as presidential chief of staff, while his son resides in the Seoul apartment. "But regardless of my intentions, the sale of the Cheongju apartment was seen by the people as a move to protect the Seoul apartment."

Noh said he will put the Seoul apartment up for sale within this month. "I will have to reflect on my actions after this incident," Noh added.

His decision to sell the Seoul home came after the public sentiment over the housing controversy has turned increasingly negative, criticizing the whole ruling bloc. Even within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), some hinted that it is time for Noh to resign so as to protect President Moon from further damage.

Despite Noh's decision to sell one of his homes, many Koreans believe this may not be enough ― even if he steps down ― to make up for the damage he has incurred on Moon's policy credibility, because many more public officials and ruling DPK members own multiple homes, going against the policy directive.

Members of the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy stage a protest at the National Assembly, Wednesday, urging high-ranking government officials and lawmakers dealing with real estate policy, who own multiple homes, to sell their properties except for their main residence. Yonhap
Members of the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy stage a protest at the National Assembly, Wednesday, urging high-ranking government officials and lawmakers dealing with real estate policy, who own multiple homes, to sell their properties except for their main residence. Yonhap

Besides Noh, 11 senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae have more than one home. It is said some of them have put their properties up for sale following the recent row ignited by Noh's case, while others are refusing the unilateral "recommendation."

According to a report released by the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, Tuesday, 41 of the DPK's 176 lawmakers, or 23 percent, own multiple homes.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun encouraged ranking officials at central and local governments owning multiple homes to sell their properties except for their primary residences.

"Public opinion is very negative recently over the real estate issue. The government is making efforts to present countermeasures, but no measure will get public trust if high-ranking officials own multiple homes," Chung said in a government meeting in Seoul, Wednesday. "Now the situation is very serious and it is time for ranking officials to set an example. Frankly I think the right time has already passed."

Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the DPK, also urged lawmakers with more than one home to sell the rest as soon as possible ― which was a promise made earlier this year by candidates running for the April general election.

"The candidates promised at the time to sell all their homes except for one within two years, and this is a promise to the people that must be kept," he said in a party meeting at the National Assembly, Wednesday.

Kim said his party would announce bills to deal with soaring housing prices, such as heavier taxes for multiple property owners. "We'll set up a set of comprehensive measures to root out speculation and stabilize housing prices, and pass relevant bills within the extra Assembly session this month."


Do Je-hae jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr


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