S. Korea to impose steeper taxes on multiple home owners to curb housing prices

SEJONG, July 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is set to announce plans to levy tougher taxes on multiple home owners, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said Friday, in the latest move to curb housing prices.

The government will raise a punitive tax rate of property ownership tax on multiple home owners and lay out plans to supply more homes in the main regions, Hong told a meeting with economy-related ministers.

The government will announce the plans later in the day.

Hong's remarks came less than a month after the government rolled out measures to stem a further rise in housing prices.

On June 17, the government announced its toughest measures yet to rein in rising housing prices in greater Seoul and some unregulated areas, as a series of steps, including tax hikes and loan regulations, failed to put a brake on soaring home prices.

Stricter lending rules were applied to curb excessive demand for home-backed loans amid cheap borrowing costs, and almost half of the Seoul metropolitan area was put under tighter rules.

kdh@yna.co.kr
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