Arjun found a bright officetel in Suwon, ₩30 million deposit, ₩450,000 a month. The agent was friendly, the landlord was "very busy," and both pushed him to transfer the deposit that afternoon to hold the room.
He hadn't seen a single document about who owned the building.
Never transfer a deposit before you’ve read the building’s registry and confirmed the person you’re paying is the owner. Then, on move-in day, take two small steps that give your deposit legal priority.
Before you sign: read the registry
The registry certificate (등기부등본) is public. Anyone can print it for about ₩700 at the Internet Registry Office (iros.go.kr) or ask the agent to show a fresh copy. Look at three things:
- Owner (소유자) in section 갑구. The name must match the landlord’s ID, or you need a written power of attorney.
- Mortgages (근저당권) in section 을구. Add the mortgage amount to your deposit. If the total is close to the property’s market value, walk away.
- Warning entries such as seizure (압류), provisional seizure (가압류) or auction (경매). Any of these is a stop sign.
On move-in day: two steps
Monday: move in, then go to the community center (주민센터) with your lease and ARC.
Step 1: report your new address (전입신고). For foreigners this is done as a change of residence on your ARC record.
Step 2: get a fixed date stamp (확정일자) on the lease, at the same counter or online.
From the next day, your deposit has priority over creditors who register after you.
Both steps are free or nearly free and take minutes. Without them, a later mortgage or tax seizure can jump ahead of you.
Extra protection worth considering
Paying a large deposit in cash, paying an agent's personal account, signing without a licensed agent's stamp, or skipping the registry because "it's a new building."
Transfer only to the owner's account, use a licensed agent (공인중개사), print the registry again on the day you pay the balance, and consider deposit return insurance (전세보증보험) for large deposits.
Ask the agent for the contract in Korean with an English translation, and remember the Korean version is the legal one. Seoul runs free counselling for foreign tenants through its global centers.
When the lease ends
Give notice at least 2 months before the end date if you won’t renew. The landlord must return the deposit when you hand back the keys. If it doesn’t come back, you can apply for a lease registration order (임차권등기명령) so you can move out without losing your priority, then pursue the deposit.
Weighing a bigger deposit for lower rent? Read jeonse vs wolse and try the rent converter.
Sources: Housing Lease Protection Act art. 3 (opposing power), 3-2 (fixed date priority), 3-3 (lease registration order), 6 (renewal notice).
Try it with your own numbersJeonse / Wolse Rent ConverterSee how much your monthly rent changes if you pay a bigger or smaller deposit, and which deal costs less over two years.Written from the laws and official notices in force on the date above. Rules change and every case is different, so check with the office named in the article before an important decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.