My landlord won't return my jeonse deposit. What do I do?

This is unfortunately very common. From 2021 to August 2025, Korea's Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) paid out 21.1 billion won on behalf of fraudulent landlords. Here is the step-by-step process we recommend. 1. Send a formal written notice (내용증명, naeyong-jeungmyeong) via registered mail to the landlord demanding deposit return within a specific deadline (usually 14 days). This creates a legal record. 2. If you registered your lease with a confirmed date (확정일자), you have legal priority over other creditors. If you also registered 전세권 설정, you are in an even stronger position. 3. Contact HUG (Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation) at 1566-9009. They have counseling available in 7 languages including English. If your deposit was guaranteed by HUG insurance, they will pay you directly and pursue the landlord. 4. File a complaint at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (법률구조공단) by calling 132. They provide free legal assistance to foreigners and can file a court case on your behalf. 5. As a last resort, you can file a civil lawsuit. With proper documentation (confirmed date, lease contract, registry), courts typically rule in favor of tenants within 2-3 months. The most important thing is DO NOT move out until you have a resolution or legal advice. Your occupancy is part of your legal protection. If you are a foreign national, you have been officially recognized as eligible for jeonse fraud victim support since 2024. About 300 foreign nationals have been officially recognized as victims. If you did NOT register your confirmed date (확정일자) when you signed the lease, your legal protections are much weaker. This is why we stress getting 확정일자 on day one. For anyone reading this who has not signed a lease yet: we strongly recommend using wolse (monthly rent) for your first apartment in Korea. The jeonse system has real risks, and the amounts involved (often $50,000-$300,000+) are devastating to lose.