South Korea lawmaker faces backlash over bus-housing proposal

Democratic Party Representative Hwang Hee has faced significant backlash following a proposal to repurpose retired buses into temporary, mobile housing for university students facing South Korea's housing shortages.

Hwang suggested that remodeling a vehicle would cost approximately 50 million won ($35,000) and argued that renovating 10,000 buses could provide an affordable solution. The idea, inspired by houseboats in Amsterdam, was met with widespread ridicule from younger South Koreans who viewed the suggestion as an insult rather than a viable policy.

Critics on social media used AI-generated imagery to mock the proposal, depicting bus-based housing as either substandard slums or absurdly luxurious riverside villas. Some users created satirical real estate listings that parodied expensive apartment complexes with vehicle-themed puns.

The ruling Democratic Party issued an apology on Sunday, labeling the idea impractical. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers from the People Power Party condemned the proposal, arguing it fails to address the actual economic realities of the housing crisis facing the nation's youth.