{"id":1701,"date":"2026-10-16T07:20:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T22:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iwaw.kr\/en\/2026\/10\/16\/youth-jeonse-deposit-return-guarantee-procedures-180364f585\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T07:20:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T22:20:22","slug":"youth-jeonse-deposit-return-guarantee-procedures-180364f585","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iwaw.kr\/en\/2026\/10\/16\/youth-jeonse-deposit-return-guarantee-procedures-180364f585\/","title":{"rendered":"Procedures for Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee with Full Guarantee Fee Support"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Youth<\/figure>\n

What Are the Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee and the Guarantee Fee Support Program?<\/h2>\n

When young adults or entry-level workers seek a jeonse home upon becoming independent, the most feared issues are undoubtedly “jeonse fraud” and “tin-can jeonse (unbacked deposits).” As incidents where tenants fail to recover their hard-earned lump sums or youth jeonse loans totaling tens of millions or hundreds of millions of won upon contract expiration continue to occur, securing a safety net when signing a jeonse contract has become essential.
\nThe core system that protects tenants’ deposits against these jeonse accident risks is the “Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee,” and the welfare system operated jointly by the government and local governments to relieve the economic burden on the youth demographic is the “Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program.”<\/p>\n

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  1. The Principle of Protecting My Deposit from Tin-Can Jeonse and Reverse Jeonse Risks<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A “Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee” is a public guarantee product in which a guarantee agency pays the full deposit to the tenant on behalf of the landlord (subrogation payment) when the landlord fails to return the jeonse deposit without justifiable grounds even after the contract period expires, or when a risk arises where the full deposit cannot be recovered because the property is put up for auction or public sale.
    \nSafety net operational structure: If the deposit is not returned by the landlord after the lease contract terminates, the tenant files a claim for performance with the guarantee agency. Following an evaluation, the guarantee agency pays the deposit to the tenant first and exercises the right of indemnity against the landlord to recover the deposit directly.
    \nReason for mandatory enrollment: Because it is difficult to 100% prevent the risks of falling sales prices (reverse jeonse), hidden tax delinquencies of the landlord, or malicious multi-home gap investments in advance solely through the words of a real estate agent or loan checks on the certified copy of the real estate register, enrolling in a return guarantee is virtually the only realistic means of recovery.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Overview of the Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      While the importance of enrolling in a return guarantee is well known, the “guarantee fee (enrollment fee),” which reaches several hundred thousand won depending on the housing price and deposit size, acts as a considerable burden from the perspective of youth tenants. Because of this, many housing-vulnerable youth have hesitated to enroll and ended up exposed to accidents.
      \nAccordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and local governments nationwide are fully implementing the “Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program” to strengthen the housing stability of young people.
      \nCore support details: This program provides a full (100%) cash refund to the individual’s bank account for the guarantee fees already paid by non-homeowner youth enrolled in a jeonse deposit return guarantee product of accredited guarantee agencies, including HUG (Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation), HF (Korea Housing Finance Corporation), and SGI Seoul Guarantee, up to a maximum limit of 300,000 KRW.
      \nNature of the program: Rather than a loan or reduction format, it takes the form of an ex-post reimbursement where the tenant pays the guarantee fee to the guarantee agency first, applies through the competent local government or dedicated portal, and receives a refund of the actual out-of-pocket guarantee fee expenses following an evaluation.
      \nBecause this is a policy that allows you to secure a jeonse deposit safety net with 0 KRW in out-of-pocket expenses if you meet the youth criteria (typically aged 19 to 39) and income requirements, any young person residing under a jeonse contract must check and claim it before the budget is exhausted.<\/p>\n

      \"Youth<\/figure>\n

      2026 Eligibility and Qualification Criteria for Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support<\/h2>\n

      The Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program is a system that reimburses the full actual expenses (up to 300,000 KRW) for youth tenants who have already enrolled in a guarantee and completed paying the guarantee fee. As it is funded within budgetary limits, the age, lease deposit amount, and income requirements are clearly established, requiring applicants to thoroughly verify the absence of disqualifying reasons before applying.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Age and Homeownership Criteria<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        • Age requirement: Youth aged 19 to 39 as of the application date (detailed standards may differ in some regions as aged 34 or younger or aged 39 or younger according to youth framework ordinances by local government, but the integrated Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport standard generally recognizes up to age 39.)<\/li>\n
        • Non-homeowner requirement: Not only the applicant on the resident registration certificate, but all household members listed together on the certificate must be non-homeowners. (Those who own pre-sale rights, occupancy rights, etc., are classified as homeowners and excluded from eligibility.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
          1. Lease Deposit and Residential Housing Criteria<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            • Jeonse deposit standard: Housing with a jeonse (or monthly rent) deposit of 300 million KRW or less on the lease agreement.<\/li>\n
            • Target housing types: The purpose on the building ledger must be residential housing (apartments, multi-family\/row houses, detached\/multi-household houses, residential officetels, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                \n
              • Non-residential buildings such as neighborhood living facilities are in principle restricted from enrolling in the jeonse deposit return guarantee itself or may be excluded from support eligibility, making verification of the building ledger essential when signing a jeonse contract.<\/li>\n
              • Opposability maintenance requirement: As of the application date, actual moving-in notification (resident registration) must be completed and the applicant must be residing in the relevant residence, and a fixed date must have been obtained on the lease agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n
                1. Income Criteria (Youth and Newlywed Standards)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  The key metric determining eligibility is annual income for the previous year (pre-tax). The applicable income ceiling differs depending on whether the applicant is a single youth or married.<\/p>\n

                  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                  Applicant Category<\/th>\nAnnual Income (Pre-tax) Standard<\/th>\nRemarks<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
                  Youth (Single 1-person household)<\/td>\n50 million KRW or less per year<\/td>\nBased on Income Certificate or Withholding Receipt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  Youth newlyweds (Within 7 years of marriage)<\/td>\nCombined 70 million KRW or less per year for married couples<\/td>\nCouples within 7 years from the date of marriage registration as of the application date<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                  General households (When supporting demographic groups other than youth)<\/td>\n50 million KRW or less per year<\/td>\nApplied criteria when expanded to all ages by local government<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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                  • Income calculation is primarily evaluated through the Income Certificate for the previous year issued by the National Tax Service; for persons with no income (job seekers, students, etc.), submitting a National Tax Service “Certificate of Facts (No Reported Facts)” allows eligibility to be recognized as satisfying the income requirement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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                    1. Mandatory Verification of Excluded (Ineligible) Targets<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      Because the intent of the guarantee fee support project is to protect ordinary citizens and youth tenants who find it difficult to bear guarantee fees on their own, targets already receiving guarantee benefits under other laws and regulations or systems are strictly excluded from support.<\/p>\n

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                      • Residents of rental housing under registered rental business operators: Under the “Special Act on Private Rental Housing,” tenants residing in housing owned by registered rental business operators (rental corporations and individual rental operators) are legally structured so that the landlord is obligated to pay 75% of the guarantee fee and the tenant pays only 25%, and are therefore excluded from this support project.<\/li>\n
                      • Tenants under corporate or business names: Applications cannot be made when the tenant is a corporation or organization rather than an individual.<\/li>\n
                      • Public rental housing residents: Public rental housing directly supplied by LH, SH, GH, etc. (Happy Housing, Youth Purchased Rental, Permanent Rental, etc.) is not eligible for return guarantee enrollment and does not require guarantee fee support, as public agencies fully guarantee deposit returns.<\/li>\n
                      • Previous recipients: Those who have previously received the same guarantee fee support benefits from central ministries or local governments (however, whether re-application is allowed upon issuance of a new guarantee after contract renewal requires verification through regional announcements).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        \"Youth<\/figure>\n

                        Comparison of the 3 Major Guarantee Agencies for Return Guarantees (HUG, HF, SGI)<\/h2>\n

                        To apply for the government and local governments’ “Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program,” you must first enroll in a return guarantee and complete paying the guarantee fee through an accredited guarantee agency. Currently, the three institutions handling jeonse deposit return guarantee products in Korea are the Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG), Korea Housing Finance Corporation (HF), and SGI Seoul Guarantee.<\/p>\n

                        Because the limit of eligible housing, guarantee fee rates, subscription methods, and screening criteria differ by institution, selecting the optimal agency suited to your housing type and loan circumstances is essential.<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. Core Comparison of the 3 Major Guarantee Agencies (HUG, HF, SGI)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                          Category<\/th>\nKorea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG)<\/th>\nKorea Housing Finance Corporation (HF)<\/th>\nSGI Seoul Guarantee<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
                          Product Name<\/td>\nJeonse Deposit Return Guarantee<\/td>\nJeonse Protection Guarantee<\/td>\nJeonse Deposit Guarantee Credit Insurance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Guarantee Target Limit<\/td>\n700 million KRW or less in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, 500 million KRW or less in non-metropolitan areas<\/td>\n700 million KRW or less in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, 500 million KRW or less in non-metropolitan areas<\/td>\nNo limit for apartments, 1 billion KRW or less for other housing types<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Average Guarantee Fee Rate (Annual Basis)<\/td>\nApartments 0.115%~0.128%<\/p>\n

                          Others 0.139%~0.154%<\/td>\n

                          		0.02%~0.04% level (lowest level)<\/td>\nApartments 0.183%<\/p>\n

                          Others around 0.192%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

                          Subscription Method<\/td>\nStandalone enrollment available (regardless of jeonse loan)<\/td>\nAvailable only in connection with users of HF jeonse loans<\/td>\nStandalone enrollment available (regardless of jeonse loan)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Handling Channels<\/td>\nSafe Jeonse App, Mobile Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, Toss, commercial banks<\/td>\nTeller counters at entrusted banks handling jeonse loans<\/td>\nSGI Seoul Guarantee branches, directly managed agencies, website<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
                            \n
                          1. Agency Features and Selection Criteria<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                              \n
                            • Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) \u2014 Most Chosen by Youth:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                \n
                              • Most popularly utilized when enrolling exclusively in a standalone return guarantee without taking out a separate jeonse loan or irrespective of bank jeonse loans.<\/li>\n
                              • Non-face-to-face registration and document submission are conveniently available via mobile apps (Safe Jeonse, Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, Toss, etc.).<\/li>\n
                              • Discount benefits for socially considerate groups\u2014including youth households, newlyweds, and low-income earners\u2014are diversified, making it advantageous for receiving additional reductions on basic guarantee fee rates.<\/li>\n
                              • Korea Housing Finance Corporation (HF) \u2014 Overwhelmingly Low Guarantee Fees:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                  \n
                                • Offers the lowest guarantee fee rates among the three agencies at an annual level of 0.02%~0.04%.<\/li>\n
                                • However, it is subject to the condition that it can only be enrolled in as an add-on product (Jeonse Protection Guarantee) upon loan execution exclusively for borrowers using HF guaranteed jeonse loans (such as Beotimmok Jeonse Loans backed by HF guarantee certificates).<\/li>\n
                                • For young people securing a jeonse house through an HF jeonse loan, enrolling simultaneously in the linked Jeonse Protection Guarantee at the bank counter when applying for the loan is the most economical choice in terms of cost.<\/li>\n
                                • SGI Seoul Guarantee \u2014 Specialized for High-Value Jeonse and Apartment Leases:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                    \n
                                  • Even high-value jeonse properties exceeding the guarantee limits of HUG or HF (700 million KRW in the Seoul Metropolitan Area) can enroll (no limit applied to apartments).<\/li>\n
                                  • However, because the Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support Program itself is restricted to housing with a “jeonse deposit of 300 million KRW or less,” HUG or HF products are more suitable than SGI for youth tenants aiming for guarantee fee support subsidies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                      \n
                                    1. Essential Pre-Checkpoints Before Applying for the Guarantee Fee Support Program<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                        \n
                                      • Prior Return Guarantee Enrollment and Guarantee Fee Payment Mandatory: The local government guarantee fee subsidy is structured to reimburse actual expenses to “those who have already enrolled with a guarantee agency and paid the guarantee fee.” You cannot apply for the subsidy from the local government first without having enrolled in the guarantee.<\/li>\n
                                      • Compliance with Enrollment Deadline (Before Half of Lease Contract Period Elapses): Under HUG and SGI standards, applications for the jeonse deposit return guarantee are typically permitted only before 1\/2 of the lease contract period has elapsed. Based on a 2-year contract, enrollment with the guarantee agency will be refused after 1 year passes, so you must enroll without delay right after paying the balance and moving in.<\/li>\n
                                      • Satisfaction of Debt Ratio (Jeonse Rate) Under 90%: During guarantee agency evaluations, if the combined sum of senior claims (collateral mortgages) and the jeonse deposit exceeds 90% of the market price determined by the officially assessed house price, guarantee enrollment is rejected. Prior verification of whether the property satisfies guarantee enrollment requirements must be conducted before signing a jeonse contract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                        \"Youth<\/figure>\n

                                        Guarantee Fee Subsidy Application Procedures and List of Mandatory Documents<\/h2>\n

                                        If you have completed enrolling in a jeonse deposit return guarantee and paying the guarantee fee through a guarantee agency such as HUG, HF, or SGI, it is now time to receive a refund for the already paid guarantee fee through the local government support program. Applications for subsidies can be made conveniently by visiting the competent community service center or via online portals, and mandatory supporting documents must be accurately prepared in advance so processing is not delayed by requests for document supplementation.<\/p>\n

                                          \n
                                        1. Online and Offline Application Procedures for Guarantee Fee Subsidies<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                          Applications proceed based on the competent local government (city, county, or district office) where the leased residence is located.<\/p>\n

                                            \n
                                          1. Application Submission:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                              \n
                                            • Online Application: Search for “Youth Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Fee Support” on the Government24 portal or dedicated youth portals for each local government (e.g., Seoul Youth Mongttang Information Hub, Gyeonggi Civil Complaints 24, etc.), fill out the application form, and attach files<\/li>\n
                                            • In-Person Application: Submit in person at the relevant city, county, or district office (youth policy department) or community service center window having jurisdiction over your residential address<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                \n
                                              1. Eligibility and Document Review: The competent local government cross-verifies non-homeowner status, income standards, lease deposit size, validity of guarantee certificates, etc. (Notified via text message if clarification or supplementation is needed)<\/li>\n
                                              2. Notification of Support Decision and Reimbursement Deposit: Once review is complete, an application approval text message is dispatched, and the actual out-of-pocket guarantee fee expense up to a limit of 300,000 KRW is deposited in cash into the account under the applicant’s name entered at the time of application.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                  \n
                                                1. List of Mandatory Documents for Application<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                                  All supporting documents must be issued within 1 month of the application date, and the information stated on the documents must match the resident registration and lease agreement.<\/p>\n

                                                  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                                                  Document Name<\/th>\nDetailed Requirements and Issuing Authority<\/th>\nMandatory Checklist<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
                                                  Guarantee Fee Support Application Form and Pledge<\/td>\nApplication desk form (entered into system during online application)<\/td>\nHandwritten signature or joint certificate digital signature<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Certificate<\/td>\nIssued by guarantee agencies HUG, HF, or SGI<\/td>\nConfirm explicit indication of guarantee number, guarantee amount, and guarantee period<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Guarantee Fee Payment Receipt<\/td>\nGuarantee agencies, banks, easy payment apps<\/td>\nIndication of actual paid guarantee fee payment amount mandatory<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Copy of Lease Agreement<\/td>\nContract prepared by real estate agency<\/td>\nAffixing of fixed date mandatory<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Certified Copy of Real Estate Register<\/td>\nSupreme Court Internet Registry<\/td>\nIssued with cancelled matters included as of application date<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Certified Copy of Resident Registration<\/td>\nGovernment24 \/ Community Service Center<\/td>\nIssued as of application date (verification of non-homeowner household members)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Income Certificate<\/td>\nNational Tax Service Hometax \/ Government24<\/td>\nFor earned income earners of the previous year or global income tax<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                                                  Copy of Bankbook Under Applicant’s Name<\/td>\nRelevant bank app or physical bankbook<\/td>\nFor deposit of subsidy (applicant’s own account)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
                                                    \n
                                                  1. Exceptions When Preparing Income Verification Documents<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n