Kim Dong-yeon Unveils 'Gyeonggi-style Public Housing' Vision..."Public Housing Must Be People-Centered"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon has unveiled the vision for 'Gyeonggi-style Public Housing.'

Governor Kim, who began his second tour of grassroots economic conditions starting on the 25th, held a 'Gyeonggi-style Public Housing, Gyeonggi All Care Vision Presentation and Town Hall Meeting' at 'Gyeonggi Unity' in Namyangju that afternoon and exchanged opinions with residents on the topic of 'public housing.'

Governor Kim stated, "Last year, I traveled 3,200km riding the Daldalbus, including a visit to Namyangju in August, and listened to approximately 350 suggestions from 31 cities and counties, of which we resolved 70 percent," and explained the background for the Gyeonggi-style Public Housing vision announcement, saying, "Today's Daldalbus theme is public housing. As a province, Gyeonggi is supporting the central government's real estate market stabilization measures most rapidly and actively."

He presented three major visions for Gyeonggi-style Public Housing: ▴People-Centered ▴Spatial Welfare Hub ▴Affordable Housing Ladder.

First, 'People-Centered' public housing aims to guarantee basic housing rights through providing large-unit for-sale housing for multi-person households and minimal space units for single-person households. It also incorporates Gyeonggi Province's unique design that combines the latest residential trends with public responsibility, moving beyond uniform design. Specifically, the minimum area for single-person households will be expanded to 1.8 times the standard (standard 14㎡ → expanded 25㎡).

Second, the province announced the creation of a 'Spatial Welfare Hub' where housing, care, health, and leisure are interconnected. The province plans to implement the government's 'Integrated Care' policy with its foundation starting from Gyeonggi Province public housing.

The 'Gyeonggi Unity' venue itself is an example of Integrated Care realized through public housing. Completed in December last year within the A5 Gyeonggi Happiness Housing complex in Dasan District, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Unity is a community space designed to allow residents from infants to the elderly to enjoy care, health, and leisure in one building. The Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation (GH) operates idle spaces in its public housing by contracting private organizations with expertise to run childcare services, play and activity spaces, elderly health classes, and leisure and exercise facilities.

Third, the province declared its commitment to establishing an affordable housing ladder through Gyeonggi-style Savings Housing and other initiatives, lowering the burden required for homeownership. The intention is for Gyeonggi-style Public Housing to provide everyone with the opportunity to own their own home. Gyeonggi-style Savings Housing is a new public housing model where housing shares are accumulated monthly like savings deposits, eventually providing 100 percent ownership after 20-30 years. Its characteristic feature is significantly reducing initial capital burden by distributing sale prices over an extended period. South Korea's first savings housing project is underway in Gwanggyo, Suwon, with a move-in target of the first half of 2029. The province plans to expand supply to GH Corporation's third new cities and Gyeonggi Opportunity Towns after reviewing the policy effects of the project.

Specifically, the province plans to continue supplying Gyeonggi-style Savings Housing for youth and newlyweds, while also providing customized public housing tailored to regional characteristics and demands, including senior-friendly, youth-specialized, and job-linked projects.

Customized public housing includes senior-friendly housing (community facilities such as social welfare facilities) in Haman Gyosan; youth-specialized housing (communities, study, and leisure programs reflecting youth lifestyles) in Uijeongbu and Seoan-yang; and job-linked housing (priority supply to industrial complex workers) in Gwangmyeong and Gwangju.

Governor Kim emphasized, "This year, Gyeonggi Province is paying close attention to reducing living costs for our residents. Cost reduction centers on three major areas: housing, transportation, and care," and stated, "We will set a good example by implementing in Gyeonggi Province in the new direction we have described for both sales and rentals—initiatives that other regions have not attempted."

He added, "In addition to establishing a new housing direction for Gyeonggi residents, we hope that the central government's housing stabilization measures achieve great success, and we will work together to achieve that."

The province also announced the 'Gyeonggi All Care' plan on that day, aligned with the government's policy direction to expand urban-centered housing supply, including measures to accelerate renewal projects for aging planned cities, including first-generation new cities, and original downtown areas.

Gyeonggi All Care is a measure designed to improve business delays and loss of momentum due to complicated administrative procedures and conflicts between stakeholders (average 10-15 years required) in renewal projects for aging planned cities and original downtown areas.

The core of the initiative is building a comprehensive support system spanning the entire renewal project cycle from master planning to completion. In the early stages of projects during master planning, the required timeframe is reduced by 80 percent (from 6 months to 1 month) through pre-consultation by the Gyeonggi Province Urban Planning Committee and master planning consulting. In the special renewal planning phase, the required time is reduced by 60 percent (from 30 months to 12 months) through civil-government cooperation bodies and apartment complex redevelopment consulting.

Meanwhile, the event was attended by private experts, private organizations and residents, Namyangju Mayor Ju Gwang-deok, GH Corporation President Kim Yong-jin, and others, who shared opinions on various fields including housing, care, and renewal projects.