The Seoul Metropolitan Government caught real estate brokerages that ran false ads at prices markedly below market rates. These brokerages ran false ads such as "Seoul metropolitan area low-rise apartment listings in the 100 million won range," and it also turned out that assistant agents committed illegal acts by concealing their identity while providing guidance and consultations.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 27th that, after receiving tips about false ads and conducting focused inspections of four brokerages, it confirmed illegal acts at three of them, including false and exaggerated ads and failure to disclose assistant agents' status. The city took measures against the violators, including imposing fines, administrative dispositions, and referring them for investigation.
They were caught advertising 1,102 other real estate listings that they had not actually been commissioned to handle. A large number of listings outside their jurisdiction were also registered, and when the city requested listing sheets (consignment documents), they could not provide them. Accordingly, the city asked the relevant district offices to impose fines and take administrative action. Posting or advertising brokerage properties without a commission, and posting photos that differ from the facts, can result in fines of up to 5 million won.
It was also confirmed that assistant agents committed violations by failing to disclose their identity in advance and taking charge of consultations, guidance, and site visits. When assisting with work, assistant agents must disclose their identity, and violating this can result in fines of up to 5 million won.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also identified suspected "unqualified person indication and advertising" after brokerage owners entrusted their business phones to assistant agents and had them post ads directly, and it asked the Civil Affairs Judicial Police Bureau to investigate. If an assistant agent posts ads directly, the penalty can be up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
Going forward, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to recommend that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport build a system to prevent recurrences, including stronger real-name verification and attaching consignment documents to ads. It also plans to strengthen a standing monitoring system for violations in real estate indications and ads, and when suspicious reports are received, the Civil Affairs Judicial Police Bureau and district offices will cooperate to conduct investigations and take action.
Cho Nam-jun, head of the Urban Space Headquarters at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "If an assistant agent conceals their identity and conducts consultations, it can be unclear who bears responsibility for the content, which can lead to harm," and added, "Listings with overly retouched photos or low prices are likely 'bait,' so please learn and follow safety rules—such as checking whether the owner responds directly before real estate consultations—to avoid harm."