DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Environment & Climate

South Korean President Calls for Housing Standard Revision Amid Climate Disasters

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called for revising minimum housing standards to address climate disasters.
  • He emphasized the need to improve living conditions in non-traditional housing like 'goshiwons,' vinyl greenhouses, and shacks.
  • The president highlighted that existing minimum housing standards, established in 2011, may not adequately reflect current living conditions and the realities of climate change.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called for a review and revision of the nation's minimum housing standards, citing the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters.

We need to actively consider revising the minimum housing standards from a climate disaster perspective.

— President Lee Jae-myungStating the need to update housing regulations in light of climate change.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, President Lee stressed the urgent need to improve living conditions for those residing in non-traditional shelters, such as 'goshiwons' (small, single-room accommodations), vinyl greenhouses, and makeshift shacks. He stated that these improvements are necessary as society adapts to a new era of climate disasters, characterized by extreme heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and cold snaps becoming commonplace.

We need to hurry the improvement work for housing other than residences like goshiwons, vinyl greenhouses, and shacks.

— President Lee Jae-myungHighlighting the specific types of non-traditional housing requiring attention.

The president pointed out that many citizens are falling through the cracks of housing support systems due to ambiguous regulations or unclear responsible authorities. He emphasized that a comprehensive societal system overhaul is required to address these vulnerabilities.

In an era of climate disasters where unprecedented heatwaves, heavy rains, and cold snaps are becoming commonplace, improvements to the overall social system are necessary.

— President Lee Jae-myungExplaining the context of climate change necessitating systemic changes.

South Korea's minimum housing standards, introduced in 2011, define the basic requirements for a comfortable and stable living environment. These standards specify minimum floor areas based on household size, such as 14 square meters for a single person, 26 square meters for a couple, and 43 square meters for a couple with two children. However, critics have long argued that these standards have not kept pace with current housing conditions and lifestyles, necessitating an update to better reflect contemporary needs.

There are many citizens who are placed in a blind spot of protection due to housing measures with insufficient basis regulations or unclear responsible parties.

— President Lee Jae-myungIdentifying a gap in current housing support systems.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog