Market Trends of South Korea Residential Real Estate Industry
Urbanization in the Country is Driving the Market
- Asia-Pacific is urbanizing faster than Europe and North America. It will likely continue to have most of the world's megacities (urban agglomeration areas with a population of over 10 million). The rapid industrialization that Korea experienced has accelerated migration patterns and demographic trends from rural to urban areas. Due to the increasing population, the country has experienced unbalanced land distribution and demographic patterns.
- Rapid urbanization, demographic changes, and technological advancements are trends driving cities' residential real estate market. These factors contributed to the rising house prices, affordable housing shortages, and limited housing stock in many cities. These problems, in turn, threaten not just financial market stability but also the quality of life and integration and city competitiveness on the national and international scale.
- In response, the cities are focusing on creating more housing, including a more diverse range of options for the housing stock to meet the needs of different types and income levels of households. Further, through applying the principles of 'good density, ' integrated urban environments can be created with high-quality placemaking that cater to a range of income and population groups and contribute to the vibrancy and authenticity of a city.
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Affordable Housing Supply in the Country
- South Korea ranked third from the bottom, with a property affordability score of 3.94 (in December 2021). With relatively low salaries and high apartment costs, South Koreans may find it challenging to afford houses.
- As reported in February 2021, South Korea planned to supply 830,000 housing units in Seoul and other big cities in two years through housing redevelopment projects led by state-run agencies, marking the largest-scale supply measure envisioned by the Moon Jae-in administration. Of the 830,000 housing units, 323,000 new houses will be built in Seoul and 293,000 in the Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. The ministry also plans to add over 220,000 new homes in major cities, including Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon, which saw hikes in property prices.
- Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced its real estate plan to provide affordable housing in big cities to meet the demand from young people and tackle soaring home prices. The focal point of the new measure is to have public developers, such as the state-run Korea Land and Housing and Seoul Housing and Communities create fast-track approval processes to expand the housing supply swiftly.
