이 대통령, 종부세 수정 비판에 “부정의 아냐…강남 주택가격 급락 이유 살펴봐야”

President Yoon Jae-myung addressed criticism on February 2nd regarding parts of the revised real estate tax reform proposal, stating that it is not just "hostile remarks" but rather "an overall review of the policy content, and also looking into why housing prices in areas like Gangnam are plummeting." The president expressed on X that he had reverted the targeted reduction of the tax exemption limit for the first residential property to ₩9 billion to ₩12 billion, following political and public sentiment.

He also raised the annual increase ceiling of the tax exemption from 200% to 150%. The president added that the adjustments to the tax changes for multiple or high-value properties, as well as the reduction in the reduction rate of inheritance tax for donated or inherited properties, were overlooked. He emphasized that the increase limit of 200% for tax exemptions is justifiable, while 150% may be seen as unjust.

He questioned whether such criticism would occur if the government had maintained the original limits. He urged for a more comprehensive assessment of issues instead of focusing on specific aspects, questioning whether changing policy positions is inherently wrong or if maintaining them is always right. The president urged for a return to politics based on truth, focusing on national interests.

The government finalized the 2026 tax reform proposal, which included 11 laws, on January 1st. Initially, the government lowered the tax exemption for first-time property owners from ₩12 billion to ₩9 billion, but later decided to maintain the former. However, the basic exemption for first-time buyers was increased from ₩14 billion to ₩16 billion.

The government aimed to strengthen the cap on total tax benefits from 150% to 200%, but ultimately decided to keep it at 150%.