Seoul sends two unlicensed real estate ad posters to prosecutors
In short
Seoul's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division said it sent two people to prosecutors last month on suspicion of violating the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act by posting real estate advertisements online without a broker's licence. A person in their 20s posted hospital rental ads for a monthly salary of 1.5 million won at a consulting company supervisor's direction, while a part-timer in their 30s was paid 200 won per post plus 10,000 won an hour for fast-food and restaurant sale ads. Both said they did not know the postings could be illegal, and Seoul said it will recommend that employers who order such ads face the same sanctions.
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Seoul's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division said on Oct. 5 that it sent two people to prosecutors last month on suspicion of violating the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act by posting real estate advertisements online without being registered as licensed real estate agents. The division said the postings carried specific transaction terms such as deposits and monthly rents. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
One of the two, a person in their 20s described by the city as a new employee, posted advertisements such as “hospital lease near Seodaemun-gu station, ultra-close to transit” and “Gangdong-gu hospital lease” online while receiving about 1.5 million won a month, following instructions from a superior at a consulting company, according to the city. A part-timer in their 30s posted sale and transfer advertisements for fast-food outlets and large restaurants in online cafes at an acquaintance's request, earning 200 won per post and 10,000 won an hour, the city said. Two outlets reported that the advertising copy was written using generative AI. The Dong-A Ilbo described the two as a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s, a detail other documents do not give. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Neither had received training on real estate law, the investigation found, and both stated that they did not know their postings could violate the law, according to the city. Seoul said advertising lease terms for shops or businesses in online cafes, blogs and social media can amount to display or advertising of a brokerage object, and that even advertisements for a business transfer can raise problems if real estate lease terms are included. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
The city cited Article 18-2(3) of the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act, which prohibits people who are not licensed real estate agents from displaying or advertising brokerage objects. Violations can bring up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Seoul said it will recommend institutional improvements so that employers who direct or request illegal postings can face the same sanctions as the people who post them, and it asked employers to explain the relevant laws to staff before assigning advertising work. “It is easy to think of posting online real estate advertisements as a simple task, but if an unqualified person displays or advertises a brokerage object including specific terms such as deposits and monthly rents, they can be punished in a criminal case,” Lee Chang-seok, head of the city's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division, said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
The city said anyone who finds or is harmed by illegal real estate activity can report it through the “Seoul Smart Inconvenience Report” app or the Seoul city website, and that reports with decisive evidence contributing to the public interest can receive rewards of up to 200 million won under a city ordinance. Seoul said it will strengthen investigations of illegal real estate display and advertising in online cafes. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The case extends enforcement of real estate advertising rules beyond licensed brokers to the young office workers and part-timers who actually post listings, which the city says are often treated as simple tasks. Seoul said it plans to recommend that employers who direct or request illegal advertising face the same sanctions as the posters, potentially moving responsibility up the chain. The referrals carry potential criminal penalties, and the city is urging employers to brief staff on the law before assigning advertising work.
Key facts
- Seoul's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division said it sent two people to prosecutors last month on suspicion of violating the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act for posting real estate advertisements online without being registered licensed real estate agents. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- A person in their 20s posted ads including “hospital lease near Seodaemun-gu station, ultra-close to transit” and “Gangdong-gu hospital lease” while receiving about 1.5 million won a month and following instructions from a superior at a consulting company. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- A part-timer in their 30s was paid 200 won per post and 10,000 won an hour at an acquaintance's request to post sale and transfer ads for fast-food outlets and large restaurants in online cafes. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- The ad copy used generative AI, according to two outlets. [ 2 , 8 ]
- Both said they did not know their postings could violate the law, and the investigation found they had not received training on real estate law. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
- Article 18-2(3) of the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act bars non-licensed persons from displaying or advertising brokerage objects, with penalties of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- Seoul said it will recommend institutional changes so that employers who direct illegal postings face the same sanctions, and it asked employers to inform staff of the relevant laws. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
- Illegal real estate activity can be reported through the “Seoul Smart Inconvenience Report” app or the city's website, with rewards of up to 200 million won for reports that contribute to the public interest. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Seoul's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division sent two people to prosecutors last month over allegedly posting real estate advertisements online without a licensed real estate agent's registration. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The person in their 20s posted hospital lease advertisements while paid about 1.5 million won a month and acting on a consulting company superior's instructions. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- The part-timer in their 30s posted sale and transfer advertisements for fast-food outlets and large restaurants for 200 won per post and 10,000 won an hour, at an acquaintance's request. [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- Both told investigators they were unaware their postings could be illegal. [ 2 , 4 , 7 ]
- Under the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act, non-licensed display or advertising of brokerage objects can bring up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- Seoul said it will recommend that employers who direct illegal postings face the same sanctions as the posters. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
- Seoul said illegal real estate activity can be reported via its app or website, and reported cases contributing to the public interest can receive rewards of up to 200 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date the two were referred to prosecutors. The documents say only that the referral took place “last month,” with no specific date or time.
- Whether the employers or the consulting company that instructed or requested the postings are themselves under investigation. The documents describe only the two posters as referred and mention employer sanctions only as a proposed future institutional change.
- How the two individuals are described. Most outlets refer to a person in their 20s and a part-timer in their 30s without giving gender; the Dong-A Ilbo describes them as a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s, which no other document states.
- Whether both sets of advertisements used generative AI. The two documents that mention AI-written copy describe only the part-timer's postings, leaving the scope of the AI detail limited to that account.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Division announces that two people were sent to prosecutors over unlicensed online real estate advertising; Yonhap, Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Newsis publish reports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Newsis updates its article. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports the case under the headline “They didn't know it was illegal.” [ 5 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports that a part-timer and another person were sent to prosecutors. [ 6 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the case. [ 7 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the case, describing the two as a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s. [ 8 ]