Roughly 13-hundred additional people have been recognized as victims of lump-sum “jeonse” rental housing deposit fraud, making them eligible for government support.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on Thursday that it approved one-thousand-328 out of one-thousand-940 requests seeking recognition as jeonse fraud victims during three full sessions held in July and August.

As a result, the cumulative number of victims confirmed by the government has risen to 20-thousand-949 to top the 20-thousand mark for the first time since a special law went into effect on June 1 of last year that provides support for jeonse fraud victims.

Under the law, eligibility extends to tenants with a fixed date on their jeonse contract whose residence is put up for auction while an investigation into alleged fraud is conducted.

Once eligible, the victims can apply for a deferment or suspension of the auction and decide whether to purchase the home through the right of first refusal or continue with the lease.