Assemblyman So Byeong-cheol Steps Up to Aid Victims of Jeonse Fraud in Suncheon Jorye

146 Confirmed Damaged Units Including Sidae Apartment

Over 90% of Victims Are Youth, Newlyweds, and Elderly Living Alone

So Byeong-cheol, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (preliminary candidate for National Assembly representing Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, Gurye Gap, and the ranking member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee), held a ‘Suncheon City Jeonse Fraud Victims Meeting’ at his election office located in Jorye-dong on the evening of the 13th.

At the meeting, officials from the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) and the Korea Legal Aid Corporation attended and announced that they are working on effective support measures for the victims.

[Photo by So Byeong-cheol]

According to So’s office, the scale of Jeonse fraud victims in Jorye-dong, Suncheon, amounts to 146 units, including those in Sidae Apartments.

The police have analyzed about 300 documents related to the seizure and search and have completed investigations on 77 victims.

Considering that the damage reported in the media alone amounts to around 10 billion won, it is expected that additional investigations will take a considerable amount of time.

So said, “Jeonse fraud is an unforgivable serious crime that shakes the foundation of ordinary people’s lives,” adding, “We must relentlessly track down accomplices, behind-the-scenes forces involved in the crime, and hidden assets to restore the victims’ damages.”

He also stated, “We will do our best to ensure that the Jeonse fraud victims in our Suncheon receive prompt and sufficient support,” and added, “We will propose the installation of a ‘Visiting Jeonse Damage Support Counseling Center’ to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and request active cooperation from related organizations, including connecting legal support services from the Korea Legal Aid Corporation.”

Furthermore, he said, “Having personally experienced Jeonse fraud in the past, I deeply empathize with the difficult circumstances of the citizens who came to see me,” and “I will continue to communicate with the victims and collect opinions on areas where support is needed.”

Suncheon = Lee Yeon-gyeong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy, hss79@asiae.co.kr