"Boss, Aren't You Interested in Commercial Properties? Please Stop the Promotional Calls"

Residents of New Towns like Cheongna and Baegot
Struggling with Commercial Office Investment Solicitation

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Kim Seung-tae (36, pseudonym), who moved into an apartment in Cheongna International City, Seo-gu, Incheon, is struggling with real estate calls that come in about once a day. These calls urge him to invest in commercial office spaces in mixed-use buildings that are rapidly being constructed near the apartment. Having no interest in real estate investment, Kim has tried blocking the numbers, but the calls keep coming from different numbers, making it impossible to avoid them.

Cha Hyun-dong (39, pseudonym), who lives in Baegot New Town, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi Province, also finds it a daily routine to reject calls encouraging him to book model house visits for commercial office investments. Even when he says he has no funds or interest, someone else calls the next day. Complaints are also being posted on social networking services (SNS) where residents gather.

Real estate investment solicitation calls have become a nuisance for new town residents. Although most personal phone numbers are collected illegally, recently there have been many cases of collecting them through loopholes. Searching for ‘phone number collection part-time job’ on social media reveals multiple posts offering payment for recording mobile phone numbers found on vehicles parked in large supermarkets or apartment complex parking lots within specific areas. Real estate companies aiming to promote investment information mainly recruit such part-time workers, with payments varying widely from 10 to 100 won per phone number depending on the region or company.

There are no proper penalties for such actions. Last October, a man in his 20s working as a sales consultant was caught taking photos of phone numbers in an Incheon apartment parking lot but was only fined. A police official explained, "Simply collecting phone numbers does not violate the Personal Information Protection Act, making it difficult to crack down on." Although a bill including grounds for criminal punishment for unauthorized use of personal information has been proposed, it is still pending in the National Assembly.