Anchor: Land Minister Byeon Chang-heum has expressed his intent to resign amid growing public uproar over the alleged irregular land purchases by employees of Korea Land and Housing Corporation and other public officials. 
President Moon Jae-in has effectively accepted it, though with caveats
Moon Gwang-lip has more. 

Report: 
Less than three months after taking office, Land Minister Byeon Chang-heum has expressed his intent to step down. 

The 56-year-old had prevailed over a tough confirmation hearing in late December, surviving a salvo of criticism from opposition party lawmakers after some of his past controversial remarks came to light.

However, the minister would not withstand a growing public uproar over swirling allegations that employees of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation(LH) had used exclusive information to make speculative land grabs, many of which were said to have occurred when the state-run corporation was under Byeon's direct leadership. 

Revealing the minister’s move in a media briefing on Friday, presidential press secretary Chung Man-ho quoted President Moon Jae-in as saying that the minister had no choice but to take up a posture of responsibility, in an indication he will accept the resignation. 

Byeon, however, will unlikely be shown the door immediately, as Moon stressed the need for smooth management of the government’s massive housing supply plan the minister announced last month. 

Chung said the president instructed the minister to finish paving the legislative groundwork for the February 4 public housing provision plan before he exits. 

The plan, under which the government seeks to supply over 800-thousand new houses nationwide, was designed to alleviate public anger over a chronic shortage of affordable homes exacerbated by skyrocketing housing prices. 

The scandal involving those handling land development projects has pushed the public to question the fairness and efficacy of such public-led housing policies. 

On Thursday, the government announced the interim result of a joint investigation that identified 20 LH officials who were found to have taken advantage of insider information in purchasing lands in the third New Town development projects, ahead of the announcement of their locations last month.

Critics, including opposition political parties, rejected it, accusing the government of trying to evade the scandal by punishing a handful of officials and showing no will to get to the bottom of the allegations. 

In response, President Moon vowed earlier on Friday that the preliminary results are just the beginning, stressing the full extent of the speculative activity must come to light.

Moon ordered a thorough investigation into real estate transactions using borrowed names that include family members of LH employees and other public officials.

He also called for swift measures to retrieve illegitimate profits gained through speculation, adding that the government must face head on the public anger. 

Moon Gwang-lip, KBS World Radio News.