Anchor: The government has announced tough measures to curb the overheating real estate market, which had threatened to derail President Moon Jae-in's approval rating. 
Bae Joo-yon has the details. 

Report: The government has unveiled its latest steps to tackle surging housing prices, which include tightening taxation for high-priced properties and multiple homeowners. 

Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon announced the measures on Thursday in a briefing with related ministries. 

The government will raise the maximum rate of the comprehensive real estate tax to three-point-two percent for people who own more than three homes or more than two homes in Seoul and Sejong as well as parts of Busan and Gyeonggi Province. 

Owners of more than two homes will also be barred from taking out mortgage loans to purchase new homes in restricted zones. 

Kim said the latest measures focus on thoroughly blocking attempts by multiple homeowners from engaging in speculation and on protecting people who have actual demand. For such people, Kim said the government will supply 300-thousand houses in 30 locations in the metropolitan area.  

He added that some 420 billion won in tax revenues that will be gathered from comprehensive real estate taxes will be used to stabilize housing for the working class. 

According to property Web site Real Estate 114, apartment prices per three-point-three square meters in Seoul rose more than 16 percent over the past year. 
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.