Presidential Aides Selling Properties Amid Real Estate Crackdown, Blue House Renovation Underway
Seoul, South Korea – As President Lee Jae-myung intensifies his administration’s focus on curbing real estate speculation, several presidential aides are reportedly selling their properties. The moves arrive following President Lee’s repeated warnings that he will “do whatever it takes to crack down on real estate speculation,” according to sources.
Blue House Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jeong has listed an apartment in Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, for sale. The property was reportedly put on the market in November of last year, prior to the emergence of controversy surrounding multiple home ownership among some presidential staff. Kang owns an apartment in Yongin and another in Banpo-dong, Seoul, under her spouse’s name.
Kim Sang-ho, head of the Chunchugwan press center, is also in the process of selling six multi-family housing units in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. He jointly owns these properties, along with an apartment in Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, with his wife. These properties were also reportedly listed for sale some time ago.
Recent asset declarations reveal that 12 out of 56 presidential aides at the secretary level or above own two or more homes. While President Lee has publicly addressed the issue of speculation through social media, he has not directly ordered his aides to sell their properties, stating he wants them to “rationally conclude that reducing multiple home ownership is economically beneficial.”
The developments coincide with the ongoing relocation of the presidential office back to the Blue House, a move expected to be completed by the end of December 2025. A budget of 25.9 billion KRW has been approved to facilitate the transition, and renovations are underway within the Blue House grounds. The administration aims to reposition the complex as a more accessible and communicative seat of power, reversing the previous administration’s move to Yongsan.
The Ministry of National Defense and its subordinate units are also expected to return to their original locations as part of this shift. The Blue House consists of the Main Office, the Yeomin Building, a state reception house, and the Chunchu Building, which houses the press center. President Lee is expected to conduct most day-to-day duties from the Yeomin Building to maintain closer contact with senior aides.
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