South Korea youth homeownership falls to record low amid housing crisis
In 2025, the homeownership rate for South Koreans under the age of 40 dropped to 27.7 percent, the lowest level recorded since the Ministry of Data and Statistics began tracking the metric in 2017. This represents a 2.4‑point decline from the previous year and a 13‑point fall from the 40.7 percent peak in 2018‑2019. By contrast, the rates for those in their 50s and 60s remained high at 63.5 percent and 68.5 percent respectively, widening the generational gap to over 35 percentage points.
Asset gaps mirrored the ownership divide: households under 40 held an average of 219.5 million won in assets, while those in their 50s and 60s held 551.6 million won and 535.9 million won, more than double the younger group’s wealth. Homeownership among the bottom 20 percent of asset holders fell to 6.8 percent, whereas 84.2 percent of the top 20 percent owned homes.
In August 2025, 14,342 apartment units were moved into nationwide, with 62 percent (8,924 units) located in the Seoul metropolitan area; Seoul alone recorded 3,540 new occupants, driven largely by a large development in Banpo. The government announced that short‑term supply measures to stabilise the rental market would be presented soon, alongside revisions to property‑holding taxes aimed at high‑value homes. Opposition leader Jang Dong‑hyuk criticised the administration for a lack of policy response, citing the 27.7 percent youth ownership figure as evidence of a deepening housing crisis.
Entities: Jang Dong‑hyuk · Lee Jae‑myung · Ministry of Data and Statistics · Seoul · 청와대 (Blue House)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Homeownership among the bottom 20 percent of asset holders was 6.8% in 2025, versus 84.2% for the top 20 percent. (Ministry of Data and Statistics)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The youth homeownership rate fell by 2.4 percentage points from the previous year. (Ministry of Data and Statistics)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The government will soon announce short‑term supply measures to stabilise the rental market. (청와대 경제성장수석 하준경)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Youth homeownership rate (under 40) was 27.7% in 2025, the lowest since 2017. (Ministry of Data and Statistics)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Homeownership rates for those in their 50s and 60s were 63.5% and 68.5% respectively in 2025. (Ministry of Data and Statistics)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 14,342 apartment units were moved into nationwide in August 2025, 62.2% of which were in the Seoul metropolitan area. (직방 빅데이터랩 조사)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Opposition leader Jang Dong‑hyuk claimed the youth homeownership rate is 27.7% and criticised the administration for lacking policy response. (Jang Dong‑hyuk (국민의힘))
- [● 2 SOURCES] Average household assets were 219.5 million won for those under 40, versus 551.6 million won for the 50s and 535.9 million won for the 60s. (Ministry of Data and Statistics)