What types of real estate crimes did police uncover in the South Korean crackdown?

The suspected offenses included farmland speculation, fraudulent applications for new apartment purchases, and illegal brokering such as inflating home prices. Police said farmland speculation was the largest category, involving 898 people.

How much suspected illegal profit did police freeze in the real estate-crime crackdown?

Police froze 14.79 billion won, equivalent to $11.02 million, in suspected illegal profits before formal indictments. They also notified relevant authorities about 616 people so administrative penalties could be considered.

How many suspects were referred to prosecutors in South Korea’s jeonse fraud crackdown?

Police referred 2,525 suspects to prosecutors in the separate year-round crackdown that began in October 2025, and 59 were arrested. Jeonse is a rental arrangement in which tenants pay a large deposit instead of monthly rent, which is returned when the lease ends.

Over 3,500 exposed in special crackdown on real estate crimes: police

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Summary

Police referred 2,151 people to prosecutors and formally arrested 16 during a special crackdown on real estate-related crimes that began in October 2025. The yearlong crackdown exposed 3,565 people and has been extended through the end of October 2027. Farmland speculation was the largest category, while police also froze 14.79 billion won in suspected illegal profits. In a separate crackdown, police referred 2,525 suspected jeonse fraudsters to prosecutors and arrested 59.

Key Facts

Farmland speculation accounted for 898 people, or 25.2 percent of those exposed.
Police identified 795 people suspected of using fraudulent means to obtain new apartment purchases and 726 accused of illegal brokering, including inflating home prices.
Police notified relevant authorities about 616 people for possible punitive administrative action.
The separate jeonse fraud crackdown began in October 2025, and police referred 2,525 suspects to prosecutors during it.
Jeonse tenants pay a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent, and the deposit is returned at the end of the lease.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 10, 2026 3:35 pm KST

A passerby walks past a real estate agency listing apartments of various sizes and prices, Sunday. Yonhap

Police have found 3,565 people suspected of committing real estate-related crimes, with over 2,100 of them referred to the prosecution and 16 formally arrested, police officials said Tuesday.

Following its yearlong special crackdown on such crimes that began October 2025, the police referred 2,151 to prosecutors on various charges, including fixing or inflating home prices, and applying for and winning new apartment purchases through fraudulent means, according to the officials.

The special crackdown has been extended by one year to the end of October 2027, they said, amid continued government efforts to curb runaway housing prices.

Of those exposed in the crackdown, farmland speculation accounted for the largest share at 25.2 percent, or 898 people, followed by 795 people who allegedly used fraudulent means in apartment applications and 726 accused of illegal brokering, such as inflating home prices.

Police have frozen 14.79 billion won ($11.02 million) in illegal profits even before formal indictments and notified relevant authorities about 616 people so that punitive administrative actions can be taken against them.

In a separate year-round crackdown on "jeonse" lease fraud, police referred 2,525 suspects to prosecutors since October 2025, 59 of whom have been arrested, according to the police.

Jeonse is a unique housing rental system in Korea where tenants pay a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent, which is returned at the end of the lease. In recent years, widespread jeonse fraud, where the landlord fails or refuses to return the deposit, has emerged as a major social issue, leaving many renters, especially young ones, facing severe financial losses.

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