{
  "id": 1788261,
  "title": "‘빚 95% 탕감’ 과장 광고하며…취약한 채무자에 수임료 ‘뻥튀기’한 법무법인들",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/95",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:07:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hankyoreh",
    "slug": "hankyoreh",
    "url": "https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/1273494.html"
  },
  "original_language": "ko",
  "account": "Recently, a 20-year-old woman named Kim Ah-mu-gye found herself in a bind due to a large debt of tens of millions of won. In a desperate attempt to resolve her financial issues, she turned to a law firm offering \"personal bankruptcy\" services. However, upon contacting the firm, she was shocked to learn that they demanded a fee of 600,000 won for their assistance. The firm claimed to have extensive experience in helping with personal bankruptcies, but it later became apparent that they had taken advantage of her vulnerable financial situation.\n\nLaw courts offer an alternative called \"speedy debt adjustment\" (신속채무조정), but the law firm in question suggested that this process would not be as effective as their personal bankruptcy services. In fact, they charged an additional fee of 5,000 won for using the speedy debt adjustment method, which could still result in a final fee ranging from 600,000 to 700,000 won. This practice of offering \"low fees\" but then incurring additional charges is common among some law firms.\n\nOne lawyer, Park Ki-taek, warned that some law firms manipulate information by omitting certain debt collection entities from their lists of potential bankruptcy creditors. Although the individual can appeal to these entities through the court, they might not be able to resolve all their debts. The law firm may also recommend engaging with collection agencies or even debt collectors as a solution.\n\nIn light of these practices, it is crucial for individuals facing financial difficulties to carefully consider their options and seek out reputable sources for advice.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}