[The Herald Business = Senior Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu has launched Seoul's first public-private real estate safety monitoring program, called the "Real Estate Safety Guard," to preempt illegal activity and protect residents' property rights.
The initiative comes amid growing public concern over real estate transaction safety, driven by a surge in jeonse fraud and illegal brokerage practices. The situation has underscored the need for a standing oversight system to prevent harm to residents and establish transparent market order.
In response, the district plans to build a prevention-focused safety net for real estate transactions by combining the expertise of private licensed agents with its own administrative capacity.
The district appointed 26 local licensed real estate agents, recommended by the Yangcheon-gu chapter of the Korea Licensed Real Estate Agents Association, as Real Estate Safety Guards. A formal appointment ceremony and practical training session were held July 2 at Yangcheon Culture Center, marking the program's official launch.
The Safety Guards will carry out two core functions: continuous monitoring of illegal real estate activity and providing expert consultation services to residents.
Using the licensed agents' proprietary network and online platforms such as Naver, the guards will conduct ongoing surveillance for illegal practices including price collusion, false or improper listings, and suspicious transactions. When problematic listings are identified, the relevant agent will be asked to voluntarily correct the price or remove the listing, and monthly monitoring reports will be submitted to the district office.
If an agent fails to comply with a correction request or if serious illegal activity is suspected, the district will conduct a detailed investigation alongside its civil servants and, if necessary, carry out a joint crackdown. Confirmed violations will be met with strict administrative sanctions and referrals for prosecution in accordance with applicable regulations.
The program also offers professional consultation services so residents can transact with confidence. Safety Guards will provide phone and in-person consultations covering real estate transactions and general lifestyle legal matters. In reconstruction and redevelopment zones, consultations will cover relocation-related legal issues, jeonse and monthly rent contracts, and financial matters. For cases requiring more specialized legal, tax, or financial advice, residents will be connected with field experts for tailored guidance.
Residents seeking a consultation can apply by phone or in person at the Yangcheon-gu Office's Real Estate Information Division. The district plans to assign the Safety Guard nearest to the applicant's residence as a priority to maximize convenience.
Meanwhile, the district has been pursuing a range of initiatives to prevent jeonse fraud and support victims. In February, it conducted a comprehensive survey of 346 jeonse fraud victims to assess secondary harm, and used the findings to develop policy alternatives — including the introduction of public trust management — which it submitted as reform proposals to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The district is also running a safe jeonse price information service, a safe contract assistance service for single-person households on jeonse and monthly rent, and a standing jeonse fraud victim support center, all aimed at establishing sound real estate market order.
"Real estate transactions are directly tied to residents' most valuable assets, so prevention is paramount," district mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "Through the Real Estate Safety Guard program, run in partnership with private experts, we will create a transparent real estate environment where every resident can transact with peace of mind."
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