Пошаговые инструкции
Verify Your Homelessness Period
Determine how many consecutive years you and your household members have been homeless. To qualify for the top tier of public housing competition, this period must be at least 3 continuous years.
Count Your Total Monthly Payments
Go through your bank statement and count the total number of monthly deposits made to your subscription account. Ensure they were deposited on time, as late payments may experience recognition delays.
Apply the Monthly Cap to Each Payment
For every month you deposited money, cap the value at 100,000 KRW (or 150,000 KRW for payments made after November 2024). Even if you deposited 500,000 KRW in a single month, write down only the capped limit for that month.
Sum the Recognized Amounts
Add up all the capped monthly values from Step 3. This grand total is your 'Total Recognized Deposit Amount' (인정금액), which is your primary score when bidding for public housing units larger than 40 square meters.
Demystifying the Korean Housing Subscription System (청약통장)
Buying a home in South Korea is a major milestone, and the Housing Subscription Account (주택청약종합저축) is your golden ticket to achieving it. This special savings account allows you to apply for newly built apartments at prices often below market value.
When it comes to Public Housing (국민주택)—homes built by government entities like LH or SH—the selection process isn't based on a random lottery or the private housing 84-point system. Instead, it relies on a strict ranking system based on your homelessness duration, number of payments, and total recognized savings.
This guide will teach you how to manually calculate your recognized subscription figures so you can determine your eligibility and see where you stand in the competitive public housing queue!
Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start
Before diving into the calculations, gather the following details about your subscription account and household:
- Your Account Opening Date: When did you first open the subscription account?
- Your Payment History: A list of every monthly deposit you have made, including the exact amount deposited each month.
- Your Homelessness Period (무주택기간): The length of time you and your immediate household members have continuously not owned a home. (Note: For householders, this period typically starts counting from age 30, or from the date of marriage if married before 30).
- Your Region: Do you live in a Speculative Area (투기과열지구), the Seoul Metropolitan Area, or elsewhere? This determines your 1st-priority timeline.
The Core Rules of Public Housing Eligibility
To win a public housing bid, you must first qualify for the 1st Priority (1순위) group. Once in the 1st Priority, if there are too many applicants, the winners are decided based on the following sequential rules:
- The 3-Year Rule: Priority is given to household members who have been completely homeless for 3 years or longer.
- For Small Apartments (Under 40m²): The winner is the person with the highest number of recognized payments (납입횟수).
- For Larger Apartments (Over 40m²): The winner is the person with the highest total recognized deposit amount (인정금액).
The Golden Rule of Deposits
While you can deposit up to 500,000 KRW per month into your account, public housing calculations only recognize up to 100,000 KRW per month (Note: This cap was raised to 150,000 KRW in November 2024. For historical payments, the 100,000 KRW cap still applies). Any amount deposited above this monthly limit does not count toward your public housing score!
Worked Example: Calculating Min-su's Score
Let's calculate the eligibility and ranking metrics for Min-su, an applicant living in Seoul.
- Min-su's Profile:
- Homelessness Period: 4 years (continuous).
- Subscription Duration: 5 years (60 months).
- Payment History: He deposited 200,000 KRW every single month on the scheduled date for 60 months.
Step 1: Calculate Recognized Payments
Because Min-su deposited money every month on time, all of his payments are valid.
- Recognized Payments = 60 times.
Step 2: Calculate Recognized Deposit Amount
Min-su deposited 200,000 KRW monthly. However, the maximum recognized amount per month during this period was capped at 100,000 KRW.
- Recognized Monthly Deposit = 100,000 KRW (the cap, not his actual 200,000 KRW deposit).
- Total Recognized Amount = 60 months × 100,000 KRW = 6,000,000 KRW.
Step 3: Determine Priority Ranking
- 1st Priority Status: In Seoul, you need 12 to 24 monthly payments (depending on the specific designation of the area) to reach 1st Priority. With 60 payments, Min-su easily achieves 1st Priority.
- The 3-Year Homeless Tie-breaker: Since Min-su has been homeless for 4 years (which is over the 3-year threshold), he enters the highest tier of the competition.
- Final Standing: If he applies for an apartment larger than 40m², his competing score is 6,000,000 KRW. If he applies for an apartment smaller than 40m², his competing score is 60 payments.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Overpaying Thinking It Helps: Depositing 500,000 KRW a month will not help you win public housing faster than someone depositing 100,000 KRW (or 150,000 KRW under the new rules). Keep your monthly savings efficient!
- Delayed Payments (지연납입): If you miss a monthly deposit deadline and pay late, that payment might not be recognized immediately. It is subject to a delay-penalty calculation which pushes back your recognized payment date.
- Losing Homeless Status: Even buying a small, cheap villa or inheriting a fraction of a residential property can instantly reset your "homelessness period" to zero. Always check property ownership rules before making any real estate moves.
When to Use an Online Calculator
While doing this by hand helps you understand the system, you should use official tools like the Korea Real Estate Board's 'Cheongyak Home' (청약홈) website or app when you are ready to apply. The official portal automatically pulls your verified bank data, calculating your exact recognized payments and dates instantly, eliminating any risk of manual data-entry errors!