※ This video is from [Current Affairs Planning Window - Where is the Youth's Home?], which aired on December 1, 2015.

▼ 1.39 Million Youth Living in Housing Poverty
In our society, where the national income is approaching $30,000, young people still struggle with housing poverty. In Seoul, where many young people live independently, this number is increasing. Housing poverty refers to living in non-residential spaces, such as semi-basements, rooftop rooms, or goshiwon (small, traditional Korean apartments)—spaces less than 14 square meters. According to Statistics Korea's 2010 Population and Housing Census, 1.39 million young people aged 16 to 34 were living in housing poverty nationwide. In Seoul, the overall population living in housing poverty decreased from 24.2% in 2005 to 22.2%. However, among young people, the housing poverty rate actually increased from 34.1% to 36.6%. Why is this phenomenon occurring?

▼ Young People Are Being Pushed into Housing Poverty
Young people are being pushed into housing poverty because housing costs are disproportionately high compared to their incomes. In other words, despite the lack of jobs and declining incomes, housing costs remain high. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 2012 Housing Survey, 69.9% of young single-person households in Seoul spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Even more alarmingly, 22.7% spend more than half their income on housing alone. Consequently, the number of young people seeking affordable housing, living in non-residential accommodations like gosiwon (traditional Korean-style boarding houses), is rapidly increasing. According to Statistics Korea, the number of single-person households in Seoul living in gosiwon (traditional Korean-style boarding houses) increased eightfold from 2,981 in 2005 to 23,939 in 2010. Experts point out that policy intervention is needed to alleviate the burden of housing costs for households spending more than 30% of their income on housing.

▼ 140,000 Happy Housing Units for the Young Generation, But…
The government's Happy Housing program rents out homes to young adults, newlyweds, and college students with below-market deposits and monthly rents. This year, 500 households moved into three locations in Seoul, and the project aims to supply 140,000 units by 2017. However, the Happy Housing project has repeatedly been frustrated. After two years of struggle, the government abandoned the plan to build 1,300 Happy Housing units in Mokdong, Seoul. Other Happy Housing projects in Jamsil, Songpa, and Gongneung, Seoul, are also facing difficulties.

#SemiBasement #Gosiwon #Youth

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