The property register (등기사항증명서, “등기부등본”)
Search by address on the Internet Registry Office. Viewing is enough for checking.
- Ownership section (갑구) — the owner’s name must match the landlord on your contract. Watch for seizures (압류, 가압류) or a trust (신탁) — if the home is in a trust, the landlord may not be allowed to rent it out.
- Other rights section (을구) — mortgages (근저당권) and their maximum amounts. A large mortgage plus your deposit close to the home’s value is a warning sign.
The building register (건축물대장)
Free on Gov24. If the first page is marked as an illegal building (위반건축물, usually shown at the top), the home generally cannot get a jeonse loan or deposit-return insurance.
Check again
Registers can change between signing and moving in. Look again before paying the balance and on moving day — then report your address and get a fixed date the same day (see rent report and fixed date).
Want the numbers too? Use the jeonse and wolse calculator and agent fee check.
Official websites
- Internet Registry Office (인터넷등기소) www.iros.go.kr
- Gov24 (정부24) www.gov.kr
We link only to official sites and re-check these guides, but fees, rules and screens change and can differ between offices. Before you go, confirm on the official site or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 (multilingual).