South Korea is opening applications for a new minimum guarantee designed to raise the recovery of jeonse fraud victims to one-third of their original rental deposits. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said advance applications for minimum support payments and prepayments will begin through the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, or LH, on November 10, 2026. The guarantee itself takes effect on November 13.
The program does not reimburse one-third of every victim’s deposit as a fixed payment. Instead, it compares one-third of the original deposit with the amount the victim has already recovered. The government pays the difference when the recovered amount falls below that threshold. A victim who has already recovered at least one-third of the deposit would therefore receive no additional minimum support under this formula.
Payments fill the gap below the one-third threshold
Money recovered or repaid by a landlord or another responsible party is deducted when support is calculated. Rental assistance received before a prepayment may also be subtracted. These deductions are intended to bring total recovery up to the minimum level rather than allowing separate payments to be counted more than once.
- Online applications
- From November 10, 2026 through LH Cheongyak Plus
- In-person applications
- From November 13, 2026 at LH regional offices
- Guarantee threshold
- One-third of the victim’s original rental deposit
The policy follows the May 12 amendment and promulgation of the Special Act on Support for Jeonse Fraud Victims and Housing Stability. The government subsequently revised enforcement rules to establish the calculation standard and the procedures for applications and payments. Officials described the measure as a way to narrow differences in recovery among victims and support people left in gaps under existing relief arrangements.
A prepayment and later settlement process is available before an auction, public sale or LH purchase procedure has been completed. Under this approach, support is paid first and then recalculated after the final recovered amount becomes known. The process is particularly relevant to victims who signed contracts with people who lacked lawful authority to lease the property, including cases involving fraudulent trust arrangements.
Prepayments cover cases awaiting final recovery figures
The distinction between the ordinary minimum payment and the prepayment route affects when a victim can apply. An ordinary minimum support payment can be requested after an auction or public sale has ended. If LH purchases the affected home, an application can be made after the auction-related gain has been calculated. The prepayment route addresses cases in which those final steps have not yet been completed.
Online applications are available through the LH Cheongyak Plus platform from November 10. In-person applications at LH regional offices begin on November 13. Applicants will need their individual recovery status assessed because the payment depends on the original deposit, money already recovered and any other amounts subject to deduction.
The minimum guarantee creates a floor for eligible victims’ overall recovery, but it does not promise repayment of the full deposit. Its effect will differ from case to case: victims with little or no recovery may receive a larger payment, while those already near the one-third threshold may receive a smaller amount. The application and settlement process will determine how those rules are applied to each claim.