World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Nearly one in five Seoul lease households nearing move-out are vulnerable
Seoul’s long-term rental homes are reaching a 20-year lease limit, after which tenants must leave unless they qualify for another arrangement.
Among 1,654 priority households whose leases expire from 2029 to 2031, 316 include people admitted as older adults or for other housing needs.
These households include people with disabilities, low-income households and older residents.
Seoul plans to take back homes when leases end and offer them to other people without homes, rather than extend leases or convert them to ownership.
The city says eligible tenants may be linked to other public rentals, but it does not know how many households can move to them because each rental type has different income and asset rules.
A lawmaker is urging the city to check tenants’ current circumstances and prepare actual replacement housing before leases expire.
About 19.1% of Seoul long-term jeonse households with priority status due to leave between 2029 and 2031 entered the program as people with disabilities, low-income households or older people.
The 316 households are among 1,654 priority-supply households whose 20-year lease terms will expire in those years.
Seoul says it will take back the homes and offer them to other people without homes, while linking eligible households to other public rental housing.
The city has not determined how many households can qualify for that alternative housing.
Lawmaker Boo Seung-chan called for the city to identify households in vulnerable circumstances and prepare actual replacement housing.
- Who
- 316 priority-supply households, including people with disabilities, low-income households and older people.
- What
- Their 20-year Seoul long-term jeonse leases are nearing expiry, raising concerns about housing after they leave.
- When
- The leases are due to expire between 2029 and 2031.
- Where
- Seoul, South Korea.
- Why
- The city plans to take back homes when leases expire, and the number of households eligible for other public rental housing is not known.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Boo Seung-chan
Adequacy of support
Seoul Metropolitan Government
The city says households meeting income and asset requirements can be linked to other public rental housing.
Boo Seung-chan
Boo says the city has not identified how many households are vulnerable or established practical replacement housing plans.
Seoul announced a plan to take back homes from 2027 as leases expire and link eligible households to other public rental housing.
The first 310 Seoul long-term jeonse households are due to reach the 20-year limit.
The 20-year terms of 1,654 priority-supply households are due to expire.
Yonhap reported that 316 of those households entered under priority categories including disability, low income or older age.
- Priority households due to leave in 2029–2031
- 1,654
- Vulnerable priority households
- 316, or 19.1%
- Households with disabilities
- 118
- Low-income households and low-income single-parent families
- 76
- Homes reaching the 20-year limit in 2027–2031
- 9,361
1 source
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What people are saying
Separate from the 20-year limit principle, households in urgent need of housing support, such as people with disabilities and low-income households, must not be evicted without any alternative.
The Seoul city government must first identify how many households nearing the end of their leases are in vulnerable circumstances.