"Jeonse Fraud Blamed on Democratic Party? Political Fight Kills Victims Twice"

Ahn Sang-mi, Chairperson of the Jeonse Fraud Victim Countermeasures Committee, MBC Interview
"Auction Suspension? The Actual On-Site Atmosphere Is Completely Different"
"Scale of Jeonse Fraud Damage? All Villas Are Like That"

Ahn Sang-mi, co-chair of the National Countermeasure Committee for Jeonse Fraud and Empty Jeonse Victims, expressed the seriousness of the situation, saying that when asked about the scale of jeonse fraud victims nationwide, "It might be faster to just say that all villas are like that," indicating that more victims could emerge in the future.

In an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 21st, Ahn stated, "(Not only in Seoul and the metropolitan area) but also in Busan and Jeju Island, there are victims. I was surprised that there are victims in Jeju," revealing the extent of the issue.

Ahn commented on the government's measure to halt auctions as a countermeasure for victims, saying, "The feeling on the ground is distinctly different." He added, "The auction suspension was announced the night before, and we hoped it would stop from the next day, but that was not the case. It seems to be stopping now."

Ahn Sang-mi, Chairperson of the Jeonse Fraud Victim Countermeasures Committee, holds a press conference on the 18th in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, urging the establishment of 'Countermeasures for Jeonse Fraud Victims.' Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

However, regarding the auction suspension, he said, "The banks transfer the claims to private loan companies. It is not as easy for the government to pressure these private loan companies as it is with regular banks," and added, "(I hope the government) speaks more strongly to the banking sector and ensures that the suspension extends to private loan companies as well."

Ahn also pointed out that the 'Tenant's Right of First Purchase' is "the most crucial among our demands, but it still lacks substance." He said, "There is no clarity on the price at which victims can buy or how they can avoid competing with these auction hunters, so this needs to be clarified quickly."

Even if the right of first purchase is granted, Ahn noted, "We still have to borrow money," indicating that it is not a practical relief measure. He explained, "Our goal is to recover the deposit. Since that is difficult, we demanded this kind of measure. We have no other options now, so we are reluctantly accepting it, not because we want to buy the house."

Ahn criticized the political sphere's indifference, saying, "We have been following the National Assembly, attending forums, and showing our faces on every broadcast, working hard to speak out, but the ruling party, the People Power Party, has shown no interest so far."

After a recent jeonse fraud victim in Michuhol District, Incheon, passed away, Representative Kim Ki-hyun visited, but the conversation only escalated in volume. Ahn said, "When I asked, 'What do you think about the most basic issue of this case?' he reacted negatively to the question and spoke as if the victims were at fault for being deceived by fraudsters," adding, "The discussion did not progress any further."

Ahn particularly criticized the ruling party's claim that this incident is a consequence of the previous government's housing price surge, saying, "Blaming the Democratic Party, or anyone else, or saying the system has been like this since a certain time, is diverting the issue and refusing to solve it. That makes me the most angry," and added, "Turning this into a political fight or gossip is something we cannot understand and feels like a second harm."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.