LH Corp. chief says housing welfare is a basic condition for a happy society


An international conference on housing welfare ― which is expected to become a key welfare policy for Korea’s next administration ― will be held in Seoul on Monday, with global academics in attendance.

The event comes as the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, the state-run land and housing developer, celebrates the third anniversary of its renaming this year, together with its affiliated Land and Housing Institute.

A total of 26 articles from 11 countries, including nine by Korean experts, will analyze current housing welfare systems around the world and propose a future policy in Korea where discussions on social housing have started recently. 

“Housing welfare is a very basic condition for a happy life and one of the most important welfare policies,” said Lee Ji-song, president of LH, in a statement.

The state-run developer has provided more than 2 million houses to underprivileged people since 1962, about 15.5 percent of the nation’s total 14.7 million units.

“People ask for better housing welfare ― a paradigm shift from quantity to quality. And the conference also started as part of the nation’s new demands,” he said.

Keynote speeches at the opening of the conference will be made by Kim Jeong-ho, professor at KDI School of Public Policy and Management, and Richard Ronald, professor at the University of Amsterdam.

Kim will discuss Korea’s housing welfare and public policy, examining the issues related to Korea’s welfare shelter and suggesting ways to improve the program more effectively.

He will also emphasize the role of the private sector in promoting housing welfare for underprivileged people, especially for elderly citizens.

Richard Ronald from the Netherlands will introduce Europe’s housing welfare system and some aspects that can be adopted for Korea.

He will explain the history of social housing sectors in Western Europe as well as recent chamges in their status that represents a challenge to their sustainability.

Ronald will also provide some insights for the Korean housing context where public housing has proliferated and been increasingly diversified in recent years.

Twenty-four other presentations will be made in seven separate sessions including: social housing; housing policy and welfare; housing market and policy response; housing subsidy for housing welfare; comparative housing market; housing and sustainable community; and housing policies for marginalized people.

At a time when welfare issues have been actively discussed in the political community ahead of the presidential election in December here, the event will offer a good opportunity to examine the nation’s housing policy as a whole, said LH officials.

“Housing welfare is a crucial mission not just for LH but also for Korea to improve people’s lives by solving housing issues,” said Kim Sam-soo, director general of Land and Housing Institute.

“This conference will discuss the future direction of Korea’s housing and welfare that will be helpful in deciding effective policy and follow-up programs.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)