Credit recovery agency expands illegal lending victim support centers from 8 to 22

The Credit Counseling and Recovery Service said Monday it will expand its network of dedicated one-stop support centers for victims of illegal private lending from 8 to 22 locations nationwide, effective Monday.

The agency has operated its "illegal private lending one-stop comprehensive support system" since March, allowing victims to receive all necessary assistance at a single location without visiting multiple agencies.

With the expansion, victims can now access dedicated counseling and support at any of the 22 centers across the country, including 14 newly designated locations.

The 14 new centers are in Gwanak, Gwangjin, Changwon, Uijeongbu, Goyang, Ansan, Jeonju, Ulsan, Sasang, Seongnam, Nowon, Cheongju, Cheonan and Wonju, joining the existing eight in Seoul (central), Incheon, Suwon, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, Busan and Jeju.

The dedicated centers provide close support throughout the entire recovery process — organizing records of damages, assisting with complaint filing, providing initial responses to stop illegal debt collection, tracking the progress of relief procedures, and connecting victims to debt adjustment and financial, employment and welfare services.

The agency said the expanded network, which reaches beyond regional hubs to major cities nationwide, will improve victims' access to counseling and enable faster responses to illegal lending cases.

"Because illegal private lending can cause harm to spread rapidly through illegal debt collection and threats, it is crucial to get help quickly at the earliest stage," said Kim Eun-gyeong, chairwoman of the Credit Counseling and Recovery Service. "We will ensure that more victims can receive professional support close to home and move swiftly through the relief process."