Kang Hoon-sik orders crackdown on illegal subletting of public rental housing, calls for measures to stop secondary victimization

[Financial News] On the 24th, Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Korea, instructed relevant ministries to draw up institutional reforms, including a whistleblower reward system, expanded on-site inspections, and tougher penalties for violations, to prevent illegal subletting of public rental housing.
At a senior aides meeting he chaired at Cheong Wa Dae that day, Kang cited a case in which a public rental unit with a monthly rent of 180,000 won was illegally sublet for 600,000 won, allowing the tenant to pocket the difference. Deputy Spokesperson of the Blue House Ahn Gwi-ryeong said this in a written briefing.
Kang said public rental housing, which is meant to ensure housing stability for ordinary people and vulnerable groups, is being abused by some residents for private gain. He added that repeated illegal subletting shows management blind spots still remain.
He instructed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other related agencies to prepare measures that would block illegal subletting attempts at the source. He also asked them to review and report on a system that would accurately verify whether residents actually live in their units, in coordination with local governments and institutions that provide services closely tied to daily life, such as Korea Post, KEPCO, and KOGAS.
Kang also offered condolences for the victims of a landslide-related accident on the 17th in Geoje and Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, where apartment residents were buried in soil after torrential rain.
Amid continuing disputes within local governments over whether the cause was the collapse of an artificial slope or a landslide, he stressed that the focus should be on recovery and restoring residents' daily lives rather than assigning blame. He also urged all-out efforts to prevent a recurrence, noting that heavy rain from typhoons and other weather events could still occur through September.
He specifically pointed out that some high-risk areas, including the apartment slope involved in the accident, had not been registered in the Korea Forest Service's digital landslide information system. He instructed the relevant ministries to quickly register the slopes under their jurisdiction. He also emphasized the need for proactive measures, including evacuating residents when warning signs are detected.
Regarding responses to fatal accidents, Kang said, "The principle is that excessive response is better than insufficient response," and urged authorities to review and improve risk management systems so they can protect the lives of the public even under extreme weather conditions.
He also called for a firm response to secondary victimization targeting victims and families of major crimes and social disasters. Kang pointed out that prank calls, abusive text messages, the spread of unverified claims, and mocking behavior toward the family of a recent missing-person case in Jeju Province have continued.
Kang instructed the National Police Agency to investigate the related crimes swiftly and strictly, while also preparing comprehensive measures to eradicate such behavior, including stronger criminal penalties and expanded prevention education and public awareness campaigns.

[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter