PPP denounces DPK lawmaker's proposal to turn buses into youth housing

Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, second from left, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Monday stepped up its criticism of a ruling party lawmaker's proposal to remodel old buses into housing for young people, calling it an irresponsible idea that mocks the public.

The criticism came as Rep. Hwang Hee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) faced backlash after floating the idea of converting discarded buses into short-term housing for young people near universities in a Facebook post, noting the use of houseboats in the Netherlands.

"Instead of telling young people to live in these discarded buses, we hope the DPK moves its own headquarters and lawmakers' offices into such buses," PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said during a meeting of the party's supreme council at the National Assembly.

"It is nothing more than a barrage of nonsense that ridicules young people and mocks the public," he added.

PPP chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yun took aim at the proposal in a commentary the previous day, calling it a "bizarre" idea that highlights the Lee Jae Myung administration's overall failure in housing policy and its lack of understanding of the realities facing young people.

"With no capacity to present real measures for urban housing supply, the government is mocking young people by coming up with such sneaky alternatives such as the so-called 'bus house,'" she said.

Choi stressed that Hwang's proposal only proves how lightly the current administration and the ruling party treat the lives of young Koreans.

Other lawmakers have also blasted the idea, calling on the government to draw up feasible plans to increase housing supply for the youth.

Hwang took the post down, only about two hours after posting it, amid backlash that he had downplayed the challenges facing young people and later explained that the proposal was merely an idea.

The DPK has released a press notice saying his proposal was a personal opinion and had nothing to do with the party's official position.