South Korea

[단독] “해외근무 다녀오니 대출 막혔네요”…보증금 0원으로 간주한다는데

Maekyung | Local Language | News | Nov. 25, 2025 | UndeterminedFinancial System Problems

Since the June 27 loan regulations were implemented five months ago, confusion persists regarding jeonse deposit refund loans, especially for overseas assignees and company-housed residents. Banks now treat deposits from overseas tenants as "0 won," making refund loans for owner-occupancy nearly impossible. Many borrowers who settled loans on their homes before going abroad are facing blocked loans despite actual financial need, due to difficulty verifying these deposits.

The "0 won" deposit rule also affects those living in parents' homes or company housing without deposits, and scenarios where the jeonse loan is under a spouse's name but the husband owns the house. Loan eligibility varies even within the same company housing, depending on the presence of any deposit. For refund loans exceeding 100 million won, additional conditions apply, such as the next tenant enrolling in a refund guarantee and the landlord maintaining owner-occupancy for two years. The loan amount available is limited to the tenant's deposit minus the landlord's current residence deposit.

While confusion grows in the market, financial authorities have not provided clear guidelines, leaving banks to apply discretion. Most banks reject refund loans when the landlord's deposit is "0 won," though some NH Nonghyup Bank branches allow loans if the homeowner submits proof of free residence. As a result, loan approval practices differ across banks and branches.

Regarding reconstruction and redevelopment relocation loans, the government capped loans at 600 million won in the Seoul metropolitan area as of June 27, but older projects approved before this date were initially exempt. However, the exemption is based on the date the sales contract was reported to local authorities, not the contract writing date. This discrepancy increases the risk of loan rejections and victimization. Resale of occupancy or pre-sale rights after the regulation date is also subject to the tightened loan limits, blocking new loans exceeding the cap, even for projects approved before the measures.

Several redevelopment areas in Seoul, such as Noryangjin New Town (excluding Districts 1 and 3), Yongsan-gu Hannam District 3, Seongdong-gu Geumho District 16, Dongdaemun Jegi District 6, and Seocho-gu Banpo Jugong Complex blocks, are directly impacted by these regulations. The redevelopment industry expects numerous affected cases within the city due to these rules.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Nov. 25, 2025 | North Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated that the ultimate goal of South Korea is reunification with North Korea, describing it as a constitutional duty rather than an ideal. Speaking at the G20 summit in Johannesburg and in a written interview ahead of a state visit to Turkey, Lee emphasized pursuing reunification through peaceful dialogue and gradual, phased steps that respect the democratic will of all people on the Korean Peninsula. He stressed that his government will avoid unilateral approaches and absorption-style reunification, expressing readiness to resume talks with North Korea through any available channel, despite current frozen inter-Korean communication.

Lee highlighted close coordination with the United States, urging then-President Donald Trump to act as a "peacemaker" and pledging diplomatic support for renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue. He reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and reliance on extended deterrence with the U.S. to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, rejecting any plans for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons.

Regarding broader geopolitics, Lee called for maintaining stable relations with China amid escalating U.S.-China rivalry and cautioned against an arms race in Northeast Asia. On South Korea’s ties with Turkey, Lee expressed intentions to deepen cooperation in defense and nuclear energy sectors, citing strong potential for joint projects given South Korea’s strengths in military hardware and Turkey’s leadership in drone technology. He referenced the Altay main battle tank program as a successful example of defense collaboration and mentioned ongoing discussions about South Korean involvement in Turkey’s Sinop nuclear power plant and cooperation on small modular reactors.

Yonhap | English | News | Nov. 25, 2025 | North Korea

North Korea's Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center has been undergoing continuous modernization and expansion throughout 2025, according to commercial satellite imagery reviewed by the U.S. monitoring site 38 North. Yongbyon is crucial for North Korea's nuclear weapons program as the sole producer of plutonium and a significant site for uranium enrichment.

The uranium enrichment facility northeast of the radiochemical laboratory has been particularly active since early 2025. Recent developments include the completion of two support buildings' exteriors in the eastern part of the complex, the addition of concrete paving, and the installation of six heat exchangers along the southeast side of the main building. These heat exchangers are likely used to cool centrifuges and regulate temperature, indicating that interior work on the building is ongoing.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has emphasized the importance of overfulfilling production plans for weapons-grade nuclear materials and strengthening the country's nuclear defenses. The 5 MWe reactor at Yongbyon has been operating consistently since January 2025, while experimental light water reactor systems are undergoing preoperational testing. These activities align with North Korea's goal of greatly expanding its nuclear weapons arsenal.