Press resources

Sourced facts, data and interview access

Materials for reporting on Korean accommodation permits, public data access and how travelers can check a registered stay before booking.

Media contact
Cameron Impastato, founder
hi@selectbnbs.com
Interviews available in English

Current research

143,636 public permit records, made searchable

SelectBNBs retrieved all eight Ministry of the Interior and Safety LOCALDATA accommodation permit datasets and made individual records searchable in English, Traditional Chinese and Japanese.

The published snapshot contains 90,771 records marked operating normally, 51,950 marked closed, 478 marked temporarily closed, 436 across cancelled, deregistered, expired, suspended or stopped statuses combined, and one excluded, deleted or transferred record.

These are status shares in one cumulative registry snapshot, not a business closure rate.

Read the sourced data brief

Fact sheet

SelectBNBs and the permit lookup

OrganizationSelectBNBs is an independent boutique-accommodation guide and public permit-data access service founded and curated by Cameron Impastato. It is operated by Sound Thought LLC.
Official sourceEight Ministry of the Interior and Safety LOCALDATA accommodation datasets published through Korea's Public Data Portal.
Access basisSelectBNBs retrieves the records through developer API access approved by Korea's Public Data Portal. Each official dataset page lists development-stage access as automatic approval. This authorizes API use; it is not government endorsement or vetting of SelectBNBs.
Coverage143,636 government registry records in the published snapshot. Official source records updated through 29 August 2026; cache retrieved 30 August 2026.
Refresh cadenceThe live registry cache refreshes daily and publishes its source-update and retrieval timestamps.
Public interfacesA traveler-facing search in English, Traditional Chinese and Japanese, a JSON API, an OpenAPI description and an MCP tool for compatible agents.
What a result meansAn active result verifies the registered business is permitted and marked operating normally under the stated category as of the official source time. Listing identity is reported separately.

Data and assets

Download and inspect

Aggregate snapshot, JSONFixed figures used in the research brief
Aggregate category table, CSVEight categories, five status classes and official source URLs
Permit status graphic, PNG1600 × 900 pixels
Permit status graphic, SVGResolution-independent vector
Current registry coverage, JSONLive aggregate counts and freshness metadata
Methodology and correctionsSources, matching rules, status definitions and interpretation

Editorial reuse

Clear permission for coverage

The aggregate figures, CSV and original SelectBNBs chart on this page may be quoted or reproduced in editorial coverage with the following credit:

Suggested citation: Ministry of the Interior and Safety LOCALDATA via SelectBNBs, official source updated through 29 August 2026.

At publication, all eight official dataset pages listed the usage permission as “no restrictions” (이용허락범위 제한 없음). The official dataset pages remain authoritative for their terms. Property imagery elsewhere on SelectBNBs is not included in this permission.

Interview access

Talk with the founder

Cameron Impastato can speak to the access problem for international travelers, the eight accommodation permit categories, verification UX and publishing the same evidence for software agents.

Government agencies are the appropriate sources for legal interpretation, enforcement policy and changes to an underlying permit record.

Cameron Impastato
hi@selectbnbs.com

For a deadline request, include the outlet, topic and deadline in the subject or first line.