Toss CEO Lee Seung-gun apologizes after controversy over "treating tenants’ suffering like an April Fools’ joke": "I failed to fully grasp it"

[Financial News] Toss CEO Lee Seung-gun apologized for sparking controversy by using the housing crisis as material for an April Fools’ joke, saying, "There were aspects I failed to fully grasp."
On the morning of the 7th, Lee wrote on his Facebook page, "This year’s April Fools’ Day was, literally, a day that felt like a lie," adding, "It was an internal event we had been doing for several years, but this year it unexpectedly became a major topic of conversation from the start. Some even said it was staged as a publicity stunt for the company."
He went on, "Housing issues have long been a source of concern, but given the seriousness of the matter, the April Fools’ Day format could easily come across as lighthearted, and there were parts I did not fully take into account."
He continued, "The April Fools’ Day internal event started from a desire to express my gratitude to my colleagues," and added, "There are things I have reflected on through the many stories and comments people shared this year."
Finally, Lee said, "One person alone cannot solve this enormous problem, but I believe there are ways in which I, as an individual, can contribute to society," adding, "I will return the profits generated from real estate transactions to society and fulfill my responsibilities as a member of the community. I will put this into practice step by step."
Earlier, on April 1, April Fools’ Day, Lee announced that he would sell his house and cover the monthly rent and loan interest of 100 employees for life. On the same day, however, he revised this to supporting 10 employees for one year, which sparked backlash. The pledge to sell his house was also changed to "first funding the support out of my own pocket, and later returning real estate profits to society."
When he proposed the event, Lee said he had long been troubled by housing inequality, stating, "I have had a strong sense of injustice about how some people make huge profits from real estate while others struggle to survive because of housing costs."
He explained, "As someone who loves Greco-Roman philosophy and lifestyles, I purchased my house, which is built in a Greek architectural style. Recently I learned that it had become ranked first in officially assessed land value in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and as I wrestled with this contradiction and irony, I came to my decision."
gaa1003@fnnews.com Ahn Ga-eul Reporter