Cards issued only when registration number and phone number match, with identity verification to block fakes; real-time registration and operating status reflected so residents can check the latest broker information at a glance
Gangnam-gu will introduce a "licensed real estate agent digital business card" service in September, allowing residents to instantly verify a broker's affiliation and title on their mobile phones.
The digital-card-based broker verification service is the first of its kind in the country.
The digital card differs from ordinary online business cards, which agents can fill in with whatever information they choose. To apply for one through the "Gangnam Real Estate Talk" platform, a broker must provide a real estate office registration number that matches the one on file with the district office, along with the registered office phone number.
Identity verification through that office phone number must also be completed before a card is issued. Because the system confirms that the office is formally registered with the district office before issuing a card, it carries greater credibility than a paper business card.
Once issued, the card can be shared as a link via KakaoTalk, text message, blog or other channels. Residents can open the link to check the broker's latest registered information, including affiliation and title. Any changes to the registration are automatically reflected in the digital card. Residents can also follow a link to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport website to cross-check the information against official records.
Not only licensed real estate brokers who have opened their own offices, but also affiliated licensed agents and brokerage assistants can receive digital cards displaying their respective titles. This allows residents to easily distinguish whether the person they are consulting is the principal broker, an affiliated agent or a brokerage assistant — helping to screen out cases of assistants impersonating principals, or unlicensed and unregistered brokerage activity.
The digital card also automatically indicates whether the brokerage office participates in the real estate electronic contract system. Electronic contracts are drawn up and stored through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's electronic contract platform, which records the identities of all parties and the broker and keeps a digital log of the transaction — reducing the risk of forgery, alteration or loss compared with paper contracts.
Residents can therefore check in advance whether a given brokerage participates in electronic contracts and proceed with greater confidence. Gangnam-gu's electronic contract utilization rate rose from 5.04 percent in 2024 to 12.70 percent in the first half of this year, and the district plans to drive further expansion through the digital card rollout.
The district introduced the digital card to 400 licensed brokers at a training session on the real estate electronic contract system held at the Nonhyeon 2-dong Community Cultural Center from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27. A follow-up training for 2,395 licensed and affiliated agents is planned at the Gangnam District Community Center from Wednesday through Sept. 11.
Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said the digital card is "a tool that helps residents verify a broker's registration information for themselves before transacting with confidence," adding that the district would "continue to improve information transparency in real estate transactions, prevent unlicensed and unqualified brokerage, and build a trustworthy real estate transaction environment."
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