South Korean Cabinet Nominees Face Housing, Tax and Policy Scrutiny

  • Kim Seong-su faces gift-tax allegations over a below-market Gangnam apartment sublease from his brother-in-law.
  • Lee So-young rented out an 84.9-square-meter Seoul apartment while living under jeonse in Uiwang through 2026.
  • The cases have fueled scrutiny of owner-occupancy housing policy, tax treatment and both nominees’ qualifications.

Separate confirmation controversies have emerged around South Korean Justice nominee Kim Seong-su and SMEs and Startups minister nominee Lee So-young. People Power Party Representative Joo Jin-woo alleges Kim received a taxable housing benefit through a below-market sublease from his brother-in-law in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Parliamentary disclosures show Lee rented out an 84.9-square-meter Seoul apartment while living under a jeonse lease in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, an arrangement that continued from at least August 2020 through 2026. The cases have intensified scrutiny of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s owner-occupancy-centered housing policy, which critics say overlooks South Korea’s widespread jeonse system. Kim’s camp said the housing arrangement reflected family cohabitation and a rolled-over deposit, acknowledged potential tax issues and pledged to address them after the confirmation hearing. Lee’s legislative record and proposed confirmation hearing have also drawn opposition criticism.

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