“It has been two years since the real estate marketing industry was classified as an independent sector, but there has been no clear definition or management system established. Creating an environment where successors can work with pride within a regulated framework is a key task for my term,” said Jang Young-ho, president of the Korea Real Estate Marketing Association.
When asked about his goals for his current term, Jang expressed his ambition to establish a legal framework for the industry. Although the real estate marketing sector has been recognized as an independent industry, he noted that there is a lack of institutional foundations covering qualifications, responsibilities, and training for workers. Jang emphasized the need for legislation to enhance the professionalism of the industry while also clarifying accountability for consumer damages that may arise during the marketing process.
Jang, who founded the marketing firm CLK in 1999 and has served as its CEO since, has extensive field experience. He has engaged in various tasks, including market research, product planning, and consulting in real estate development. He participated as a founding member of the Korea Real Estate Marketing Association in 2018 and was elected as its third president in March 2023, re-elected in March 2024.
Among his significant achievements during his tenure is the classification of 'real estate marketing' as an independent industry in the 2024 revision of the Korean Standard Industrial Classification. Previously, the marketing sector had not been categorized separately, marking a recognition of it as a distinct industry. Additionally, he restored the association's name from the Korea Real Estate Marketing Service Association back to its original title.
Looking ahead, Jang aims to establish a legal management system beyond mere industry classification. While there are some regulations governing qualifications and training for housing marketers, he pointed out that there is insufficient legal definition and management framework for the broader marketing sector, including non-residential properties like officetels and commercial spaces.
“The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport does not even define the marketing industry in its regulations,” Jang noted. “Without a definition, proper surveys cannot be conducted, and without survey results, there is no basis for policy development.”
The need for legislation is also tied to consumer protection. He stated, “When consumer harm occurs due to false or exaggerated information during the marketing process, we need to design a system that clearly defines accountability and enables effective compensation for damages.”
The industry size also relies on past estimates rather than official surveys. According to the Korea Housing Industry Research Institute, there were an estimated 2,000 to 2,800 real estate marketing firms in South Korea in 2022, employing between 46,000 and 65,000 individuals. The association explained that the lack of official statistics makes it difficult to accurately assess the number of firms and workers in the sector.
The government is also pushing for the integration of the marketing industry into the regulatory framework. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport included the integration and management enhancement of the marketing sector in its 'Second Basic Plan for the Promotion of the Real Estate Service Industry (2026-2030)' announced in June.
The government plans to amend the Building Promotion Act to establish qualifications, obligations, and grounds for sanctions for non-residential marketers, as well as to specify the marketing industry in related laws. Expanding training hours for housing marketers and creating specialized training programs for non-residential sectors have also been highlighted as key tasks.
Jang stated, “Considering the reality of the industry where both residential and non-residential marketing are conducted, we aim to rationally revise qualification standards and strengthen professional training for businesses and workers.”
His emphasis on education is influenced by the evolving role of marketing firms. In the past, the focus was primarily on securing contracts at marketing sites, but recently, the scope of work has expanded to include market research, demand forecasting, product composition, pricing review, and customer management from the early stages of projects.
“Marketing should not merely be about selling quickly,” he asserted. “It must establish itself as a professional industry that assesses business risks through market analysis and product proposals.”
Training professionals is a major initiative of the association to address these challenges. According to the association, 6,558 individuals have received legal training for marketers in the past five years. The association is also focusing on nurturing young talent, having been selected as an implementing organization for the Seoul City Attractive Job Project for three consecutive years starting in 2024, training a total of 87 young marketing professionals by this year.
Recently, practical training utilizing generative artificial intelligence (AI) for market research, report writing, advertising content creation, and data analysis has also been expanded. The goal is to support marketing firms in evolving from simple sales organizations to professional entities capable of analyzing business viability and responding to market changes.
Jang views the legislation of the marketing industry as a means to enhance the industry's status and secure consumer trust. “The marketing industry assists citizens in one of their most significant decisions: purchasing a home,” he said. “Delivering honest information and strengthening professionalism is ultimately the way to protect the industry.”
He added, “My most desired goal for the remainder of my term is to advance from being recognized as an independent industry to establishing a legal framework with accountability and professionalism.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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