As of now, a total of 41,559 cases of recognized victims of jeonse fraud have been recorded. Among these, 75.9% are individuals under the age of 40, and 97.7% of the cases involve deposits of 300 million won or less.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on October 12, the Jeonse Fraud Victim Support Committee reviewed 1,642 cases during three full meetings last month, ultimately recognizing 623 cases as victims of jeonse fraud. Of these, 579 were new or reapplications, while 44 were appeals accepted from previous decisions.
Among the remaining cases, 583 were rejected for not meeting the criteria set by special laws. Additionally, 208 cases were excluded from consideration because the full deposit could be recovered through guarantee insurance or priority repayment, and 228 appeals against previous decisions were dismissed.
To date, the Jeonse Fraud Victim Support Committee has processed a total of 71,058 victim determinations, with 41,559 approved, resulting in a cumulative approval rate of 58.5%. Rejections account for 16,776 cases (23.6%), exclusions for 7,264 cases (10.2%), and dismissals of appeals for 5,459 cases (7.7%).
The impact of the fraud has predominantly affected younger tenants with relatively low deposits. Among the recognized cases, individuals in their 30s account for 21,071 cases, or 50.7%, while those in their 20s follow with 10,463 cases (25.2%). When combined, individuals under 40 make up 31,538 cases, or 75.9% of the total.
In terms of deposit amounts, the largest group falls within the range of 100 million to 200 million won, totaling 18,074 cases (43.5%), while deposits under 100 million won account for 17,462 cases (42.0%). Cases with deposits exceeding 200 million to 300 million won comprise 5,047 cases (12.1%). Overall, 97.7% of recognized cases involve deposits of 300 million won or less.
Regionally, the metropolitan area represents 60.7% of the cases, with Seoul having the highest number at 12,021 cases, followed by Gyeonggi with 9,317 cases, Daejeon with 4,579 cases, Busan with 4,225 cases, and Incheon with 3,877 cases. In terms of housing types, multi-family homes account for 28.3%, followed by officetels at 21%, multi-family houses at 18.8%, and apartments at 13.3%.
The purchase of affected homes by LH has increased. As of the end of last month, LH has acquired a total of 11,148 homes affected by jeonse fraud. In the first nine months of this year alone, 6,157 homes were purchased, marking a 25.6% increase compared to last year's total of 4,901 homes. The average monthly acquisition has risen from 163 homes in the first half of last year to 654 in the second half, and 684 this year.
The support system for victims will expand further next month. The Ministry of Land plans to implement a 'minimum guarantee system' starting November 13, which will provide support for any shortfall if the amount recovered by victims through public or private auctions is less than one-third of their deposit. Additionally, a system will be introduced to provide advance payments to certain victims, such as those affected by trust fraud, before the auction process is completed, with subsequent adjustments made.
To date, a total of 80,188 instances of housing, financial, and legal support have been provided to victims. Among these, requests for public rental purchases account for the largest share at 15,104 cases, followed by local tax reductions at 11,469 cases, deferrals of credit information registration and installment payments at 10,849 cases, and tax bond allocations at 8,884 cases.
A representative from the Ministry of Land stated, “Tenants suffering from jeonse fraud can apply for victim determination at their local city or provincial office. Those recognized as victims after the committee's decision can receive detailed guidance on support measures through the nationwide Jeonse Fraud Prevention Support Centers or local branches.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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