Hwang Hee Apologizes for 'Old Bus Youth Housing' Proposal, Admits Failure to Grasp Gravity of Youth Housing Issues

Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who faced a public backlash after proposing to repurpose old buses as youth housing, issued a sincere apology on August 10, saying, "I sincerely apologize to the younger generation and the public."

On this day, Assemblyman Hwang wrote on social media, "I deeply bow my head in apology for having caused such great concern and disappointment to the younger generation and the public, which was not my intention."

Hwang Hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and head of the Seoul Metropolitan Election Planning Team, is holding a press conference on real estate policy directions at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on January 6, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

He explained, "This proposal originated from concerns about alleviating, even temporarily, the severe housing cost burdens faced by low-income youth and aimed to supplement the time gap in government-led housing supply."

He continued, "However, regardless of the reasons, I did not sufficiently acknowledge the gravity of the housing problems youth are facing in the field. I feel a heavy sense of responsibility for failing to consider, with care, the perspectives of the young people affected, and for causing them pain and disappointment."

Assemblyman Hwang added, "Taking this incident as an opportunity, I will listen even more closely to the realistic voices of young people and put my utmost effort into preparing practical and highly effective innovations for youth housing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.