Former presidential secretary Lee Sung-hoon appointed new head of LH

Lee Sung-hoon, a former presidential secretary for land, infrastructure, and transport, has been appointed the new president of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), ending a nearly 10-month leadership vacuum. President Lee Jae-myung approved the appointment, which came just two days after the Public Institutions Operating Committee narrowed down the candidate pool.

Lee Sung-hoon entered public service in 1996 and has held various significant positions within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. He also served as the presidential secretary for land, infrastructure, and transport, coordinating policies and issues related to real estate and national land development. His prior experience includes a stint as director of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government's Construction Bureau.

The long-standing vacancy at LH has seen the organization operating under acting leadership for approximately eight months since the previous president resigned. Previous attempts to fill the position with internal candidates were reportedly rejected by the government.

With a new president at the helm, attention is now focused on whether LH can accelerate the government's public housing supply plans. The administration has designated LH as a key player in these initiatives, including a plan to directly develop public housing on land previously sold to private developers and a recent proposal to supply 90,000 rental homes in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Furthermore, the appointment is anticipated to spur the implementation of reforms for LH, including the potential separation of its development and asset management functions, as outlined by an LH reform committee established last year. These reforms aim to streamline operations and improve efficiency within the public housing sector.