○ Total 507 Cross-border Consumer Complaints were received by the Korea Consumer Agency in 2007 (272.7% increase vs. 2006 / 507 cases in 2007 vs. 136 cases in 2006)

 

 

Transaction Type	No. of Transactions
Online Transaction	239
Direct Transaction in Local Area	117
International Transaction through Agencies etc.	119
Total	475

 

Foreign residents in Korea (33 cases), foreigner in another country (1 case), Korean consumers (473 cases)

 

 

International transactions through agency (119 cases), transactions through internet (239 cases), direct transactions in local area (117 cases)

 

 

* A total of 321 Cross-border Consumer Complaints were reported excluding transactions involving companies established in Korea.

- The U.S.:27.4% (or 88 cases), China: 21.5 %( or 69 cases), Thailand & Australia: 8% (or 26 cases), Hong Kong: 7.4% (or 24 cases)

 

 

 

 

 

 

○Among 499 claims, claims related to "Clothes & Personal goods" were most frequently reported, accounting for 34.4% (172 cases).  Cultural & recreational service items accounted for 14.2% (71 cases) respectively, followed by favorite foods (13.5%, or 67 cases), health & hygiene items (11.3%, or 56 cases) and cultural goods (4.8%, or 24 cases)

 

○Particularly, most clothes & personal goods (clothes, hand bags etc.) are estimated to be purchased via on-line transaction or international transaction through an agency.  Also 47 consumer claims have been reported regarding fake branded products.

 

< Cross-Border Consumer Complaints by Item>

 

Items	No. of Claim Cases	No. %
Clothes & Textile	172	34.4
Culture & Recreation	71	14.2
Foods & Favorite Foods	67	13.5
Health & Hygiene	56	11.3
Culture	24	4.8
Transportation & Custody Services	23	4.6
Books, Audio CD and Records etc.	12	2.4
Finance & Insurance	12	2.4
Sports & Leisure	12	2.4
Automobile Components	10	2.0
Educational Services	7	1.4
Information & Telecommunication Services	5	1.0
Information & Telecommunication Equipment	5	1.0
Rental and Lease Services	3	0.6
Kitchen Appliances & Others	20	4.0
Total	499	100.0

 

 

-          Among 507 Cross-border Consumer Complaints, the most frequently reported claims were about breach of contract which was due to slow delivery service or dissatisfaction with product quality, accounted for 41.8% (or 212 cases)

-          The next was contract execution issue (21.5% or 109 cases), followed by unfair business practices (13.8%, or 70 cases) and dissatisfaction with product quality also accounted for 7.4% or 38 cases.

 

 

Reasons of Claims	No. of Claims
Breach of Contract due to slow delivery or dissatisfaction with product quality	212
Contract Execution Issue	109
Unfair Business Practices	70
Product Quality	38
Product Safety	20
Prices	15
A/S	13
Others	30
Total	507