Seoul City and Ministry of Land Collaborate on Joint Investigation into Fake Pregnancies and Illegal Resales

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim On-yu] The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Unit announced on the 17th that it will conduct a focused investigation into real estate order disruption activities, such as violations of the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act and the Housing Act, in cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Real Estate Transaction Analysis Planning Team.

The joint investigation by Seoul City and the Ministry of Land includes ▲ price collusion through online communities, ▲ obstruction of real estate agents' work using banners, ▲ price disruption using notices, ▲ restricting brokerage to members of specific groups only, and ▲ inducing clients not to request brokerage below certain prices.

Additionally, illegal subscription activities such as illegal resale of pre-sale rights, transfer of subscription savings accounts, false residence registration, sham marriages, and fake pregnancies, as well as unqualified or unregistered real estate brokerage activities, are also targets of the crackdown.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Unit has booked 79 individuals for violations of the Housing Act and 104 individuals for violations of the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act over the past three years.