The government started blanket bombing, precisely aiming some apartments located in specific regions, because it had failed to obtain the desired results from real estate bills. It even used threatening words in an attempt to scare people. For example, it created new term ‘Bubble Seven’ which indicates nation’s seven selected areas with property price bubble. In addition, the government has predicted that a large number of properties will be put on the market at the end of this year and that as a result, housing prices will plunge into the level in the time when 10.29 measure was taken. It went as far as setting a specific date and target price. When it comes to reporting apartment prices, the Blue House, the ruling party, Finance Ministry and Construction Ministry all seem to be in real earnest.
It is questionable whether they are so mindful of cold public sentiment just a few days ahead of regional elections that they are making a great fuss about real estate matters. Their attempts, however, seem to be of no use in this point, because the prices of apartments in certain areas have risen way too high since the Roh Moo-hyun administration took office. In fact, the administration has created worst situation offering low interest rates, enormous mortgage loans. To make the matters worse, its careless policies have brought about political aftermath. If the government had raised interest rates following market demand and provided good-quality homes, it would not have made the situation come to this.
It is ridiculous that the Blue House and the government are only looking forward to bubble burst echoing each other’s words. Most of all, there has never been the case that a government makes a judgement on whether a specific village is a bubble or not, mentioning the name of it. If the government thinks that its bluff will intimidate market again, it is making a great miscalculation because the market already suffered from its wrong bombings as many as 35 times. In this context, it is rather comforting that there is a sign that the market will make a reverse turn without regards to the government’s intention. International society recently give an indication of the burst of asset bubbles. Keeping pace with the world trends, Korea is also undergoing the bursting particularly in neighboring towns such as administration cities, innovation cities, and company towns where a lot of apartments are over supplied.
Therefore, now is the time for the government to consolidate mid and long term projects. As the trend of housing demand are changing with the baby boom generation growing to middle-aged and elderly people, finding ways to provide good-quality homes continuously is mostly needed. That is none other than a shortcut to preventing real estate speculation.
거품 붕괴 고통을 국민에게 지우겠다는 건가
부동산 대책이 효험을 거두지 못하자 정부가 특정지역 아파트를 정조준해 융단폭격에 들어갔다.
험악한 용어까지 입에 올리며 겁주기에 나섰다.
‘버블 세븐’이란 신조어가 등장하고 “연말께 매물이 쏟아질 것” “10.29 대책 수준까지 집값이 떨어질 것”이라는둥 구체적인 시기와 목표가격까지 못박고 있다. 아파트값 중계방송에는 청와대와 여당겴怜繹?건교부까지 총동원되는 양상이다.
혹시 선거를 앞두고 싸늘한 민심을 의식해 뒤늦게 난리법석을 떠는 게 아닌지 의심스럽다.
그렇다면 병 주고 약 주기에 불과할 뿐이다.
사실 노무현 정부 들어 일부 지역 아파트값은 올라도 너무 올랐다.
저금리에, 엄청난 주택담보대출에다,
어설픈 정책 후유증까지 겹쳐 최악의 상황을 낳았다.
시장의 요구대로 미리미리 금리를 올리고 양질의 주택을 충분히 공급했다면 이 지경까지 오지도 않았다.
청와대와 정부가 맞장구치며 버블 붕괴를 학수고대하는 듯한 모습은 우스꽝스럽다.
특정 동네 이름을 거명하며 “너는 거품” “너는 괜찮아”라는 식으로 판정내리는 정부를 여태껏 본 적이 없다.
엄포성 발언이 통하리라 여긴다면 어림없는 오산이다.
우리는 이미 35차례나 정부의 오폭(誤爆)을 지켜보았다.
그나마 다행스러운 점은 정부의 의도와 상관없이 시장 흐름이 반전될 기미를 보인다는 사실이다.
최근 국제적으로 자산 버블이 꺼지는 조짐이 뚜렷하다.
국내에서도 행정도시곀村킵돕횁기업도시 등 아파트가 과잉공급된 비(非)수도권부터 몸살을 앓고 있다.
지금은 중ㆍ장기대책을 가다듬을 때다.
베이붐 세대가 중장년층이 되면서 주택수요의 질(質)이 달라지고 있다. 양질의 주택을 꾸준히 공급하는 방안을 찾아야 한다.
그것이 집값을 잡는 지름길이다.
<중앙일보 5월 18일 사설>
