Hong Jiseon: "Basic Housing Was Not a Failure"... Refutes Opposition's Claim of Repackaging Under a New Name

Hong: "There Was Little Support for the Early GTX... In the Long Run, the Policy Was Right"
Kim Jongyang: "If Service Records Cannot Be Verified for Each Nominee, Recommend Board of Audit and Inspection Review of Military Manpower Administration"

Hong Jiseon, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport nominee, refuted the opposition’s claims of failure regarding the “Basic Housing” policy promoted during President Lee Jaemyung’s tenure as Governor of Gyeonggi Province.

At the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 16th, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jongyang asked, “Weren’t you the official responsible for the implementation of the Basic Housing project? Did the Basic Housing project proceed well and succeed?” Hong replied, “While the bill was proposed, it ultimately did not get enacted because the National Assembly session ended.”

The Basic Housing policy was a housing initiative championed by President Lee Jaemyung during his time as Gyeonggi Governor. It was a model of public rental housing that allowed anyone without their own home to reside in premium locations like areas near subway stations for 30 years or more, regardless of their income or assets. At the time, President Lee stated, “We must fundamentally block real estate speculation, and even middle-class citizens without homes should be able to live in high-quality, well-located homes at an appropriate cost.”

Lawmaker Kim Jongyang further pressed, “Aren’t you simply trying to implement this failed Basic Housing policy under a different name, such as universal public rental housing?”

Hong responded, “Many young people in dual-income households have a certain level of income but lack assets, and thus often cannot move into rental apartments even if they wish to. The Basic Housing initiative was intended to provide stable rental housing for young people and the middle class.”

Hong Jiseon, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is delivering an opening statement at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Yoon Dongju

Regarding the criticism labeling it a “failed policy,” Hong cited the example of the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX).

Hong stated, “In the end, the Basic Housing policy was not realized because it was not legislated. Similarly, when Gyeonggi Province first proposed the GTX project, there was little positive response from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the political world, or local governments at the time.”

She continued, “The preliminary feasibility study did not pass, and construction did not begin. Does that mean the GTX project during Governor Kim Moonsoo’s tenure was a failure? I do not see it that way.”

“If you assess only the short-term outcome, you might call it a failure,” she said, “but in the long run, it was the right policy. The same applies to the Basic Housing policy.”

The issue of military service was also raised. When asked about the lack of records for her Grade 4 supplementary service classification, Hong explained, “It is not that I refused to submit the documents; I requested the records from the Military Manpower Administration, but they had been lost and were re-created.”

Hong added, “When I was classified, I submitted diagnostic reports and other required documents, but those records were also lost.” She promised to submit any remaining documents to the National Assembly. Regarding her supplementary service, she said, “I believe I faithfully completed my service over 18 months.”

Lawmaker Kim Jongyang, setting aside the nominee’s military service issue, pointed to the broader problem of how the Military Manpower Administration manages service records. He noted that the reason for classification and other essential details were missing from the written record, which was re-issued due to loss, and stated: “If military service records cannot be properly verified each time the nominee changes, this is not an individual problem but a systemic issue with the Military Manpower Administration’s record management.”

He then requested, “Separate from the vetting of Ms. Hong, please put forward a resolution calling for the Board of Audit and Inspection to examine the overall record management practices at the Military Manpower Administration.”

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