Seoul City Expands Night and Weekend Operations of Jeonwolse Comprehensive Support Center

On the afternoon of the 17th of last month, a citizen (left) is receiving consultation at the Jeon-Wolse Comprehensive Support Center located in the Seosomun Annex of Seoul City Hall.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 4th that it will expand the operation of the 'Jeonwolse Comprehensive Support Center,' which provides consultations for victims of jeonse fraud and "empty jeonse," starting from the 8th of this month.

The weekday operating hours will be extended from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The center will also operate on weekends and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center is located on the first floor of the Seosomun Building at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, and staffed with resident professionals including lawyers, judicial scriveners, and certified real estate agents who provide free consultations related to jeonse fraud and empty jeonse.

At the government's request, the center also supports the issuance guidance and application process for the 'Jeonse Damage Confirmation Certificate' required when victims of jeonse fraud apply for government support policies. Tenants who receive this certificate can access government low-interest fund loan products and emergency housing support.

For those eligible for the city's 'Youth and Newlywed Tenant Deposit Interest Support,' if they fail to recover their deposit due to jeonse fraud or empty jeonse, the city will provide loan repayment extensions and interest support for up to four years. Additionally, households preparing for legal actions such as deposit return lawsuits or auctions will receive full support for loan interest payments.

The support targets include ▲cases where tenants have applied for tenant registration orders due to non-return of deposits and the tenant rights are registered in the housing registry ▲cases where lawsuits for the return of jeonse deposits against landlords are underway ▲cases where auction procedures on the leased housing are in progress.

Applications for loan repayment extensions and interest support have been accepted at all branches of partner banks since the 2nd of this month. Detailed information about the application process is available on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website or the Seoul Housing Portal.

In addition, the city plans to increase the new loan limits for jeonse funds to support youth and newlyweds facing housing instability due to low loan limits compared to high jeonse prices. The limit for newlyweds will be raised from 200 million KRW to 300 million KRW, and for youth from 70 million KRW to 200 million KRW.

Han Byung-yong, Director of the Housing Policy Office, stated, "Through effective support and responses such as consultations and financial assistance, we will mobilize all possible measures at the city level to alleviate the suffering of tenants who are victims of jeonse fraud. We will also make our best efforts to create conditions where people can search for homes with peace of mind and live stably by communicating and cooperating with the government."

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