World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
South Korea rental dispute filings more than double since 2022
South Korea received 1,217 rental dispute mediation applications by August for conflicts involving homes and commercial properties.
The total was about 2.3 times the 538 applications recorded in 2022, and the 2026 figure had already passed the full-year total for 2025.
Disputes often involve returning deposits or property, as well as repairs, compensation, rent changes and lease renewals.
From 2022 through August 2026, the Korea Real Estate Board completed handling 4,398 of 4,511 applications.
Only 17.2% of completed cases ended in mediation agreements, or about one in six.
Many cases were dismissed, including because court proceedings were under way or a party did not cooperate with the investigation.
A lawmaker said the government and the Korea Real Estate Board should improve the system to resolve disputes faster and help people secure their rights.
South Korean housing and commercial lease dispute mediation filings reached 1,217 through August 2026, about 2.3 times the 538 recorded in 2022.
The filings already exceeded the 1,126 cases recorded for all of 2025.
From 2022 through August 2026, 4,511 disputes were filed and 4,398 cases had been processed.
Mediation was reached in 758 processed cases, or 17.2%.
The most common housing lease disputes concerned the return of deposits or buildings, while lawmakers called for improvements to the mediation system.
- Who
- Landlords and tenants are involved in the disputes; the figures were provided by the Korea Real Estate Board to lawmaker Hwang Hee.
- What
- Lease dispute mediation filings rose to 1,217 through August 2026, while 17.2% of processed cases resulted in mediation.
- When
- Through August 2026; the figures cover the period from 2022 through August 2026.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- Disputes include conflicts over deposit or property returns, repairs, compensation, and lease terms.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Housing and commercial lease dispute mediation filings numbered 538.
Full-year lease dispute mediation filings numbered 1,126.
Filings reached 1,217, and mediation had been reached in 758 of the 4,398 processed cases since 2022.
- Filings through August 2026
- 1,217
- Filings in 2022
- 538
- Filings in 2025
- 1,126
- Processed cases, 2022–August 2026
- 4,398
- Cases with mediation reached
- 758 (17.2% of processed cases)
- Leading housing lease dispute
- Deposit or building return (35.1%)
What people are saying
The performance of the dispute mediation system should focus on substantively resolving the conflicts people face
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Real Estate Board should improve the system so people can quickly obtain remedies for their rights