The same cheongyak (housing subscription) account is judged by number of deposits for gukmin jutaek — public housing — and by total account balance for minyeong jutaek, privately built housing. An account fed 20,000 won a month for three years clears the first-priority bar for public housing in the capital region (one year of enrollment, twelve deposits) yet falls short of the 3 million won balance required to even apply for a private unit of 85㎡ or less in Seoul.
The tie-breaking method differs too. Public housing lines applicants up by a sequential ranking system built on years without a home and savings record; private housing mixes an 84-point scoring system with a lottery at fixed ratios. How you filled the account gets evaluated in opposite directions across the two markets.
The developer — and the selection method — differ from the start
Toss Bank's breakdown of supply types defines public sale as the sale of gukmin jutaek built by public agencies, and private sale as minyeong jutaek built by brand-name construction firms. First-priority eligibility splits as well: public sale requires a household head with no home who meets enrollment and savings thresholds and has no winning record in the past five years, while private sale extends to household heads owning one home.
The gap widens at selection. The same source describes public sale as a sequential ranking system based on years without a home plus deposit count and total savings, and private sale as a scoring system totalling 32 points for years without a home, 35 for dependents, and 17 for account enrollment period. One puts the account's record at the centre; the other puts household composition there.
| Item | Gukmin jutaek (public) | Minyeong jutaek (private) |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Public agency | Private construction firm |
| Enrollment period (capital region) | 1 year | 1 year |
| Enrollment period (speculation zone) | 2 years | 2 years |
| First-priority test | Deposit count (12 in capital region) | Balance by region and unit size |
| Home ownership | Household head with no home | Household head with no home or one home |
| Tie-breaker | Sequential ranking | Points plus lottery |
According to KB's guide to first-priority eligibility, the enrollment requirement is identical for both types: 24 months in speculation-overheated zones, 12 months in the capital region, and 6 months elsewhere. What follows diverges. Public housing requires 24, 12, or 6 deposits depending on region; private housing requires a set balance keyed to where you live and the unit's floor area. In Seoul and Busan that is 3 million won for units of 85㎡ or less, and 15 million won to unlock every size.
Where the same account qualifies for one and fails the other
Here is what different saving patterns leave you holding after three and five years, assuming the same amount deposited every month without a gap, measured against the Seoul and Busan balance thresholds.
| Saving pattern | Total balance (10k KRW) | Deposits (count) | Private, Seoul ≤85㎡ (300) | Private, all sizes (1,500) | Public, capital region (12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20k won × 3 years | 72 | 36 | Short | Short | Met |
| 100k won × 3 years | 360 | 36 | Met | Short | Met |
| 250k won × 3 years | 900 | 36 | Met | Short | Met |
| 100k won × 10 years | 1,200 | 120 | Met | Short | Met |
| 250k won × 5 years | 1,500 | 60 | Met | Met | Met |
The first row carries the point. An account fed 20,000 won a month cannot be submitted for a private unit of any size after three years, yet it already satisfies first-priority for public housing in the capital region. Conversely, 250,000 won a month for three years clears the 85㎡ private threshold comfortably while still sitting 6 million won short of the 15 million won all-sizes bar.
There is a band where the same account is first-priority for public housing and cannot even be submitted for private housing — deposit count and balance are two different rulers.
Time to reach 15 million won varies sharply with the monthly amount: 60 months (5 years) at 250,000 won, 150 months (12 years 6 months) at 100,000 won, and 750 months (62 years 6 months) at 20,000 won. Those figures interact with the public housing ranking rules where total savings is the measure. Monthly recognition limits and deposit strategy are covered separately in the piece on the 250,000 won monthly limit.
When first-priority is oversubscribed: sequential ranking versus points and lottery
Once first-priority applicants exceed the units available, a second sort begins. The Easy Law guide to public housing general supply explains that the sequential ranking system splits at 40㎡ of exclusive floor area. Above 40㎡, first place goes to those who have been non-homeowning household members for three years or more with the largest total savings, and second place to others with the largest total savings. At 40㎡ or below, the same structure applies with deposit count as the measure instead.
The implication is simple. For public units above 40㎡ the monthly amount decides your position; at 40㎡ or below the number of uninterrupted months does. The same account can be advantaged for one size and disadvantaged for the other. The same source adds that in areas of speculative concern the requirements can tighten to 24 months and 24 deposits.
Private housing works differently. The guide to private housing general supply notes that under Article 28(2) of the Housing Supply Rules, where first-priority applicants compete, a set share of units goes to the highest scorers and the remainder to a lottery. In speculation-overheated zones the ratios run as follows.
| Exclusive floor area | Points-based share (%) | Lottery share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 60㎡ or less | 40 | 60 |
| Over 60㎡ up to 85㎡ | 70 | 30 |
| Over 85㎡ | 80 | 20 |
For a low-scoring account the remaining door is the lottery pool, and its share shrinks from 60% to 20% as the unit grows. Smaller units leave more room for chance. How the score itself is built is set out in the guide to calculating cheongyak points.
In a regulated zone, every bar rises one step
R114's summary of regulated-zone requirements explains that designation as an adjustment target area or speculation-overheated zone makes first-priority markedly harder. Two years of enrollment is required, the applicant must be the household head, and no member of the household may have won another unit in the past five years. Re-winning restrictions run 7 to 10 years. Unregulated areas grant first-priority after one year in the capital region or six months outside it, with no re-winning restriction.
When designation changes, the value of the same account moves with it. In a regulated zone the household-head requirement blocks submission by a household member, and a five-year winning record attaches at household level. What blocks you first is not the balance or the score but the state of your household registration. That is why, when regulatory intensity is shifting, checking household requirements comes before checking the application calendar.
What to check
- Whether the target is public or private housing. A public agency developer means deposit count and total savings decide; a private construction firm means balance and points do. Read the supply type on the offering notice first.
- The two numbers in your own account. Check total balance and deposit count separately. An account strong in only one is valid in only one market.
- The balance threshold for your region and unit size. Seoul and Busan require 3 million won for units of 85㎡ or less and 15 million won for all sizes. Other regions differ, so verify before applying.
- The 40㎡ line. For public housing, above 40㎡ ranks by total savings, at or below by deposit count. Within one complex, the advantaged account changes with the unit size.
- The points-versus-lottery split. In speculation-overheated zones, units of 60㎡ or less run a 60% lottery share; above 85㎡ it drops to 20%. With a low score, unit size changes your odds.
- Household head status and any winning record in the past five years. In regulated zones, a non-household-head cannot submit as first-priority, and a household member's winning record attaches to you.
- Current regulated-zone designation. Designation and its removal shift both enrollment requirements and re-winning restrictions. Confirm the status as of the application date.
Sources
- Buying a new apartment — public sale general supply eligibility and sequential ranking (Easy Law)
- Buying a new apartment — private housing general supply eligibility and points/lottery ratios (Easy Law)
- What are the conditions for cheongyak first-priority? (KB Financial)
- Public sale or private sale — which should you apply for? (Toss Bank)
- How cheongyak requirements change with regulated-zone designation (R114)