First Female President of KREAA: "Even Conservative Academia Is Becoming More Flexible... Will Strengthen Role as Industry-Academia Hub"

"I believe that recent social changes are being reflected even in conservative academia, resulting in greater flexibility, diversity, and inclusiveness."
On the 10th, Lee Jae-soon, president of KREAA and professor at Hoseo University's Graduate School of Venture Studies, shared these thoughts. She is the first woman to assume the presidency in the 32 years since the association's founding in 1994.
The real estate field is often considered conservative and male-dominated. President Lee remarked, "I must do well so that my juniors can also play a role," adding, "While I am very pleased, I also feel a great sense of responsibility."
Lee has conducted active research in real estate market analysis, urban and real estate marketing, working at institutions such as The Seoul Institute and the Korea Real Estate Research Institute. She noted, "There used to be invisible discrimination in the past, but I believe much of that has disappeared now," and added, "This change in the market is also reflected in academia."
Within KREAA, there is an Early-career Scholars Committee for members who earned their doctorates within the past five years, and a Women's Committee to promote exchanges among female members. President Lee plans to support these committees to foster the next generation and revitalize the association. She stated, "The association can only thrive if many young researchers join," and added, "I hope to build a foundation for greater participation by female scholars by collaborating with women's committees in related associations."
President Lee envisions KREAA as a 'mediating association.' She aims to expand its network beyond academia to include research institutes, public organizations, and industry, strengthening its role as a hub in the real estate sector. She emphasized the need for greater interaction with industry, saying, "While there may be misunderstandings if academia listens too much to the private sector, we must still consider the industry's concerns and the challenges it faces together." She further explained, "It would be beneficial to create forums to discuss issues such as real estate project financing (PF) and seek solutions collectively."
She also mentioned the importance of cooperating with public institutions that have less direct involvement with real estate. By offering collaboration and advice on real estate-related issues, such as asset sales, she believes mutual growth can be achieved. In fact, at its recent fall academic conference, KREAA organized a session highlighting best practices by the Korea Expressway Corporation in utilizing public real estate to enhance public benefits.
President Lee stated, "I believe the association can expand its scope by aligning with government policy while also connecting with industry and supporting R&D efforts." She added, "If these connections are made effectively, it could even help university students find employment and boost job opportunities."
Regarding the recent instability in the real estate market, President Lee identified 'extreme polarization' as the biggest issue. She pointed out that the deepening divide has led to the collapse of the housing ladder and further polarization. She emphasized, "There are problems in the functioning of the housing ladder between apartments and non-apartments, core areas of Seoul and the metropolitan area, and the provinces." She added, "Recent policies have focused mainly on the metropolitan area, which may leave those in the provinces and young people just starting out feeling relatively deprived."
President Lee stressed, "It is important to send signals that provide psychological stability to the market." She continued, "There must be consistency and predictability to enhance policy credibility. Rather than announcing fragmented policies, the government should present a clear policy roadmap and explain its step-by-step implementation to the public."
act@fnnews.com Choi Ah-young Reporter