Prime Minister Han vows to make housing supply 'top priority,' push measures 'with urgency'

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Friday that the government's Aug. 13 real estate supply measures must be "executed with urgency to produce results that people can actually feel."

Han made the remarks at a housing rapid-supply review meeting she chaired at Government Complex Seoul, saying she would make housing supply "the top priority of the prime minister's agenda."

"What matters is execution — and the speed at which we can complete it," she said. "To meet public expectations, swift supply is paramount, and it is essential that we manage the process meticulously so that the planned schedule is carried out without a hitch."

She went on to say she would personally visit construction sites every week and work with the prime minister's office rapid-supply monitoring team to track progress, reporting updates to the Cabinet monthly. She also pledged to convene review meetings under her chairmanship as needed to actively coordinate interagency cooperation and resolve issues as they arise.

She said the government would provide youth-tailored housing finance programs and work to identify and eliminate "marriage penalties" — disadvantages faced by newlyweds — while lowering the loan threshold for prospective move-in buyers.

She added that the government would "do its utmost to create a residential environment where all citizens can live with peace of mind," including by strengthening financial support for developers to accelerate housing supply and swiftly identifying and pursuing specific tasks that people can feel on the ground.

Han doubled down on the message that housing supply "is not a challenge any single ministry can solve alone — it is a task for the entire nation and our whole government." She said the government must change the way it has worked to raise the pace of supply, while also ensuring the quality and safety of homes meet public expectations.

The government announced Thursday a housing supply package centered on adding more than 230,000 units in the Greater Seoul area, and said it would establish a prime minister-chaired review meeting as part of the plan.

Friday's meeting was held just one day after the announcement, a move seen as a signal of Han's determination to drive the policy forward without delay.