Housing is a foundational condition for human well-being, and access to “adequate housing” is recognized internationally, including by the UN, as a fundamental human right. In Korea, the 2015 reform of the National Basic Livelihood Security system separated the Housing Benefit into an independent program with expanded coverage and increased payment levels, but program assessment must move beyond how much is paid to what improves―namely, whether housing rights are actually secured.
Accordingly, this study evaluates the Housing Benefit not merely as a tool for reducing housing costs but as a rights-based policy instrument, diagnosing its achievements and limitations to inform reform directions. It (1) examines recipients’ characteristics, housing conditions, and stability using the Survey on Actual Housing Condition; (2) empirically identifies why housing instability and cost overburden persist among recipients; (3) tracks longitudinal effects with the Korea Welfare Panel Study using a housing index and rent-to-income ratios (RIR); and (4) assesses qualitative impacts―such as program experiences, housing upgrading, and psychosocial stability―through in-depth interviews and housing inspections.
Results suggest that while the Housing Benefit has partially eased cost pressures, its effectiveness remains limited from a housing-rights perspective, with notable constraints in the private rental sector. These issues are unlikely to be resolved quickly or by the Housing Benefit alone, underscoring the need to reorient evaluation and policy design toward outcomes that directly advance the right to adequate housing.