장기인구성장에 따른 주택 및 주거환경

Population Growth and Housing

Korean population is ecpected to reach about 50 million by year 2000. And per capita GNP might attain the $5,000 level. This is bound to have profound impact on housing. For one thing, population and income growth will accelerate new household formation thus increasing new housing needs. On the other, changes in the housing preference function in association with income growth and new way of life would mean increasing demand for better dwelling environment. In addition, by year 2000, there will be many more elderly households necessitating new approaches to housing. The question is whether or not Korea could cope with new housing perspectives. If Korean housing has made in the past some progress in housing quality, it has not been able to tackle the mounting housing shortage. This is attributable to the concentration of effective housing demand in the hands of upper income groups in association with skewed income distribution and sustained dwelling price hike. Korea needs some basic changes in housing policy. The public sector should produce much more small dwellings either for sales or renting. Second, mortgage loans should be expanded so as to increase the access to housing. Third, every thing must be done to cut down the dwelling price through tax cut, relaxation of some requlations, cyclical stabilization of dwelling construction and loan subsidies.