Seoul Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Yongsan Housing Supply Plan

Ahead of the nationwide local elections in June, discrepancies have emerged among Seoul mayoral hopefuls regarding the scale of housing supply in the Yongsan district.

Democratic Party preliminary candidates maintain that large-scale housing development in the Seoul metropolitan area is necessary to stabilize housing prices. Preliminary candidate Jeong Eun-oh declared, "Supplying 10,000 units is possible," and stated he would pursue this through consultations with the government. Jeong has risen as a strong contender for Seoul mayor following public praise on President Lee Jae-myung's social media, and ahead of the party primary, his emphasis on cooperation with the government is interpreted as a move to secure the president's favor ('Myeongsim'). Another Democratic Party contender, preliminary candidate Jeon Hyun-hee, has also proposed a plan for 10,000 units in the Yongsan area.

In contrast, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party argued during a Yongsan housing supply forum that the current plan for 6,000 units is the most stable, expressing concern that a 10,000-unit supply might lead to a restructuring of housing composition, primarily favoring smaller units.