The housing market is challenging, and government policies are no exception.
A proposal by Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Hee to use abandoned buses as temporary housing for young people sparked controversy. Just days later, the government announced plans to lift the ban on installing bathtubs in goshiwon rooms. This announcement came the day after President Lee Jae-myung called for revisions to minimum housing standards and improvements to non-residential living spaces like goshiwon. The following day, the government also revealed plans to provide financial support for quasi-housing projects, including goshiwon.
The Democratic Party clarified that the abandoned bus proposal is not an official party policy. However, it cannot be dismissed as merely a personal opinion from a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. While there is no direct link between the bus proposal and the goshiwon policy, discussions about revising goshiwon standards had already begun last month, prior to the controversy and the president's remarks.
Nonetheless, both issues raise a critical question: How far can we go in providing spaces instead of homes for young people and low-income individuals amid a housing supply shortage?
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport eases bathtub regulations for goshiwon.
On August 12, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced an administrative notice regarding amendments to the 'Building Standards for Multi-Use Facilities,' which includes removing the prohibition on installing bathtubs in individual goshiwon rooms. The requirement for study facilities, such as desks, has also been eliminated, although the ban on cooking facilities within the rooms remains in place.
The process of removing the desk requirement has not been smooth. The current enforcement decree of the Multi-Use Facilities Act defines goshiwon operations as providing lodging or meals in a space equipped for study. If the obligation for study facilities is removed from building standards, it raises issues of consistency with existing laws.
The ministry explained that this change reflects the reality that goshiwon are increasingly used as residences for single-person households rather than study facilities, and it aims to rationalize regulations that are not directly related to safety. It is not mandated that bathtubs be installed, so it is difficult to outright condemn the expansion of options.
However, the order of these policy changes warrants scrutiny. When the current standards were established in 2015, the ministry cited concerns that goshiwon could be improperly used as independent housing due to the prohibition of bathtubs, cooking facilities, and balconies. Now, after 11 years, the ministry is effectively removing some of those distinctions, citing that goshiwon are being used as actual living spaces.
If bathtubs are to be allowed, it is essential to also examine the necessary conditions for living spaces. With bathtubs permitted, it is crucial to assess whether the ventilation standards for rooms and bathrooms are adequate. However, the current amendment does not include provisions for minimum room size, external windows, or enhanced ventilation performance. While acknowledging the reality of living conditions, the necessary housing standards have not been reinforced.
The amendment also lacks a regulatory impact analysis. It was classified as not subject to regulatory review during prior consultations with the Office for Government Policy Coordination. While this may not be procedurally incorrect, it is challenging to ascertain how allowing bathtubs will affect goshiwon design, future supply, and living conditions based solely on the publicly available administrative notice.
Minimum living space varies by location, with Seoul at 7㎡ and Daejeon at 14㎡.
The poor conditions of goshiwon have already been confirmed through research. A 2020 survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Government found that the average room size in goshiwon was 7.2㎡, with 53% of rooms measuring less than 7㎡. Only 47.6% of rooms had windows that could be used for emergency escape. Residents cited cramped spaces and a lack of natural light and ventilation as major inconveniences and health risks.
In response, the Seoul government has since mandated that newly constructed or repurposed goshiwon must have rooms larger than 7㎡. If individual bathrooms are included, the minimum size must be at least 9㎡, and windows that allow for external escape must also be installed.
Some metropolitan governments have set even higher minimum standards. Daejeon requires rooms to be at least 14㎡ and mandates the installation of operable windows measuring at least 1㎡. Gwangju stipulates that rooms must be at least 11㎡, and if including a bathroom, the total must be at least 14㎡, with operable windows facing outside. Sejong also requires a minimum area of 11㎡ and windows that allow for natural light, ventilation, and escape.
Due to differences in how area measurements are calculated and the applicable targets, it is not straightforward to compare which regional standards are superior. The issue lies in the fact that while local governments have established separate minimum area and window standards, there is no nationwide common minimum for room size and external windows in the national building standards for multi-use facilities. This discrepancy means that the minimum area for goshiwon can vary significantly depending on the region.
The current minimum housing standards require that single-person households have a room, a dedicated kitchen, and bathroom and bathing facilities, totaling at least 14㎡. Comparing this to the 7㎡ goshiwon rooms does not necessarily indicate a violation of standards, as goshiwon are not classified as housing under building law, and thus these standards do not directly apply to building permits. This is precisely the problem: while people may reside in goshiwon for extended periods, they remain outside the minimum housing standards due to their classification.
Goshiwon are not merely exceptional living spaces. According to a 2022 survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, there were 158,374 households living in goshiwon and goshi-tels, the highest number among non-residential living spaces. A 2017 survey found that 97% of goshiwon and goshi-tel residents were single-person households, with an average age of 34.6 years for heads of households. In the 2022 survey, 32.9% reported choosing goshiwon because they could not find cheaper rent elsewhere. The living conditions in goshiwon are closely tied to the housing issues faced by young people and low-income single-person households.
Easing regulations and financial support raises questions about accountability.
On August 11, President Lee ordered a review of minimum housing standards to address climate-related disasters and improve the living conditions of non-residential spaces like goshiwon, vinyl houses, and shantytowns. The following day, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans to ease bathtub regulations, and on August 13, it unveiled a supply plan that includes interest support for loans to quasi-housing projects like goshiwon in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
If construction begins by 2027, the government will subsidize 1 percentage point of the loan interest, and if construction starts by 2028, the subsidy will be 0.5 percentage points. This policy is not exclusively for goshiwon or for young people, as certain project requirements must be met. Nevertheless, the combination of regulatory easing and financial support makes it difficult to dismiss the likelihood of increased goshiwon supply. The inclusion of goshiwon in the supply plan signals that the government recognizes them as a means to address housing shortages.
The impact of regulatory easing and affordable financing on supply can be seen in the example of urban-type housing. In 2009, the government relaxed standards for facilities and provided construction funding through the National Housing Fund to quickly increase housing space for one- and two-person households. The number of permits surged from 20,529 units in 2010 to 83,859 in 2011 and 123,949 in 2012.
The success in meeting the demand for small housing is evident. However, in some areas, this led to oversupply, unsold units, and issues with parking and management. A fire in an urban-type housing unit in Uijeongbu in 2015 highlighted safety concerns, including narrow access roads and inadequate spacing between buildings. The costs of hastily increasing supply without thorough consideration ultimately fell on the residents.
Living accommodation facilities, which can be used for lodging and cooking, have been marketed as residential products, leading to conflicts over illegal housing use and changes in designation. The government is now working to block new illegal uses while supporting the legal use of existing facilities. The allowance of basement living spaces in response to housing shortages has resulted in long-term issues with flooding and inadequate light and ventilation.
It is not inherently negative for the number of goshiwon to increase. There are individuals who urgently need affordable rooms, and if goshiwon were to disappear, they could be pushed into even worse living conditions. The real issue lies in the failure to distinguish between increasing supply and institutionalizing low living standards.
If the government is to recognize goshiwon as residences for young people and low-income single-person households, it must establish nationwide common standards for minimum area, external windows, ventilation, and fire and escape requirements. Public financial support should also be limited to facilities that meet these standards. If the amendment is finalized as proposed, the new standards will apply to building permits, architectural committee reviews, and changes in building law from the date of the announcement. This does not address the narrow rooms and windowless units of existing goshiwon.
Establishing minimum standards does not mean that goshiwon can replace youth housing. These standards should not serve as a license to downgrade living conditions but rather as a baseline to prevent further deterioration. If goshiwon are temporary or supplementary housing, pathways to transition to appropriate housing, such as public rentals, must also be expanded.
Even in a rush to increase supply, the minimum standards for living spaces should not be lowered to create more units. The government must address the housing supply shortage, not lower housing standards. What young people need is not just cramped rooms with added bathtubs or abandoned buses, but spaces they can truly call home. The government should respond to where young people want to live, not just the numbers of units supplied.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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