South Korea expands private housing lottery for families with infants

From the 15th of this month, South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport enacted an amendment to the housing supply rules, creating a new "infant special supply" for private‑housing lotteries. Ten percent of the total private housing allocation will be reserved for households with children under two years old, removing the previous requirement that couples be married for less than seven years. Eligibility requires a child under two (including adopted children and fetuses), an owner‑less household, a subscription account meeting tenure and deposit thresholds, real‑estate assets below 331 million won, and income within 130‑160 % of the average city‑worker income. Allocation is split into 50 % priority supply, 20 % general supply and 30 % lottery draw. The amendment also lets local governments provide special housing for employees of companies relocating to the region without a formal notice process, aiming to improve settlement conditions for such workers and support the country's low‑birth‑rate policy.

The changes are intended to broaden home‑buying opportunities for families with infants and to incentivize regional revitalisation through more flexible corporate‑relocation housing provisions.