
Legal Q&A
Q
Views9,821
Because it was difficult for me to come up with a full jeonse deposit, I have been living under a semi-jeonse arrangement, paying a deposit of 50 million won and monthly rent of 200,000 won. When I asked the landlord to return the deposit because I have to move, he responded defiantly, saying he has no money right now. I suppose this can be seen as semi-jeonse fraud. How should I respond to semi-jeonse fraud?
semi-jeonse fraud
Answer
Published:
Author : Byung Joon KOH
Hello. This is a real estate attorney at Daeryun Law LLC.
I imagine you must feel very frustrated and anxious in a situation where you have been the victim of semi-jeonse fraud.
Although semi-jeonse fraud is not an official legal term, it refers to a situation in which a lease is concluded with a high deposit and a relatively low monthly rent, and the lessor does not return the deposit or has no ability to return it.
Semi-jeonse fraud, like jeonse fraud, can be dealt with legally.
First, it is advisable to send a certified content-proof letter setting a deadline for the return of the deposit and to make clear your intention to take legal measures if it is not performed.
Because you are in a situation where you must move, it would be advisable to apply to the court for an order to register the right of lease.
If you still have not recovered the deposit even after completing all of this, you can recover it by filing a lawsuit for the return of the deposit to obtain a court judgment and then taking compulsory execution proceedings against the lessor.
If you wish, you can also review whether the crime of fraud is established and proceed with a criminal complaint.
If you need legal assistance to resolve a semi-jeonse fraud situation, you are welcome to request a consultation.

Daeryun's own AI·IT-driven litigation strategy
240+ key members
1,200+ client requests per month
* 2026년 1월 변호사협회 경유증표 발급 기준
In compliance with Article 4(1) of the Korean Bar Association Advertising Rules
Every consultation is reviewed by a specialist attorney first,
so consultations are conducted by appointment.
Phone
1800-7905
Available 24/7, 365 days a year


Online Consultation
Legal services
for our clients.

Chat
Get a quick consultation via chat.
Related Members
More
Byung Joon KOH
T. 070-5221-2805
Extensive experience handling large-scale corporate and white-collar crime cases · Attorney specializing in corporate/construction/labor/digital forensics law

MoonKyoo JANG
T. 070-7510-2139
Performed Numerous Korea-Germany International Corporate Transactions and Advisory · Attorney Specializing in Corporate Legal Affairs/Family Law/Inheritance
Key Case Results
MoreFull Return of a Deposit on Real Estate Sold at Auction Through the Assistance of a Tongyeong Real Estate Attorney
Full Return of a Lease Deposit Achieved With the Assistance of a Jeonju Real Estate Attorney
With the Assistance of a Chuncheon Real Estate Attorney, the Client Recovered the Deposit Along With Damages
Related Practice Areas
MoreAll fields At a glance
1/0