The so-called "seriously unsold" supply of dwellings after completion surpassed 26,000 units last month.

The appearance of a new apartment construction site in downtown Seoul. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "April housing statistics" on the 30th, the number of seriously unsold dwellings nationwide was 26,422 units, a 5.2% increase compared to the previous month.

In non-capital areas, the number exceeded 20,000 units, with the seriously unsold dwellings in regions outside the capital increasing by 6.6% to 21,897 units compared to the previous month.

In Seoul, the number of seriously unsold dwellings increased by 0.3%, and overall in the metropolitan area, it rose by 1.1%.

However, the total number of unsold dwellings nationwide at the end of April was 67,793 units, a 1.6% decrease from the previous month. In the metropolitan area, the unsold dwellings amounted to 15,905 units, down 3.8% from the previous month. In the regions, the figure was 51,888 units, reflecting a 1.0% decrease.

By the size of the unsold dwellings, those exceeding 85㎡ numbered 10,058 units, a 3.5% decrease compared to the previous month. During the same period, the number of unsold dwellings under 85㎡ was 57,735 units, down 1.3%.

The overall housing transactions at the end of April decreased. The volume of housing sales last month was 65,421 transactions, a 2.7% decrease from the previous month. In the metropolitan area, the decline was 4.9% to 33,820 transactions, while regions saw a 0.3% decrease to 31,601 transactions.

The rental market also showed signs of stagnation. Last month, the transaction volume for leases in the metropolitan area was 155,049 cases, a 3.3% decrease from the previous month. Regions also saw a decline to 73,482 cases, down 6.6%.

The sales market saw significant improvement. The number of housing sales (approvals) in April reached 20,214 units, a 133.8% increase compared to the previous month. In the metropolitan area, 16,628 units were sold, marking a substantial increase of 606.1% from the previous month. In contrast, regions experienced a decrease of 43.0%, with 3,586 units sold.

The nationwide housing construction performance in April was recorded at 25,044 units, an 81.8% increase from the previous month, but the cumulative construction from January to April was 59,065 units, a 33.8% decrease compared to the same period last year. The construction volume in the metropolitan area was 18,352 units, a 97.9% increase from the previous month. In the regions, construction of 6,692 units was completed, reflecting a 48.6% increase.

Permits nationwide showed a decrease. The total number of permits was 24,026 units, a 22.6% decline from the previous month. Housing permits in the metropolitan area totaled 14,261 units, down 5.8% compared to the previous month, and in the regions, there were also 9,765 units, a 38.5% decrease.