If both the old and the new home sit in a jojeong daesang jiyeok (regulated area), the window to sell the old one and keep single-home tax relief shrinks from three years to two, for disposals on or after 1 October 2026.
An officetel is counted differently by each tax. Acquisition tax counts units bought on or after 12 August 2020; housing subscription treats small, low-value units as if you owned nothing at all.
For a single-home household, Korea's long-term holding deduction adds 4% per year of ownership to 4% per year of residence, capped at 80%. Miss the three-year holding or two-year residence test and only a 2%-per-year general deduction remains.
On a 1bn-won home with a 400m jeonse deposit, 600m is gift-taxed and 400m capital-gains-taxed. Without the multi-home surcharge it saves 45.75m won; with it, it costs 38.71m more.
A bunyanggwon is taxed at 70% under one year and 60% thereafter, however long it is held. On a 100 million won premium, 61.05 million goes to tax and 33.95 million is left.
Acquiring a completed home through an ipjugwon (redevelopment membership right) carries a flat 2.8% acquisition tax regardless of how many homes you own. The same home via a bunyangkwon can reach 8%.
Korea's temporary two-home capital gains exemption turns on three numbers: one year before buying the new home, two years of holding, and three years to sell the old one. Here are the deadlines worked out by date.
For an inherited Korean home, capital gains tax uses the value at the date of death as the cost basis. Reported at a 400 million won official price, a 1 billion won sale owes 236.5 million; reported at an 850 million appraisal, it owes 39.8 million.
Held past two years, a bunyanggwon (presale right) is taxed at a flat 60% while an ipjugwon (redevelopment member's right) drops to the 6-45% basic rates. On a 200 million won gain that is a 70 million won gap. Here is the full comparison.
A single-home household is exempt with 2 years of ownership (2 years of residence in regulated areas) and a sale price under 1.2 billion won. Here is the apportionment formula for the excess and the 80% long-term deduction, worked through examples.