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Korea Fair Trade Commission released
the ‘Fundamental Plan for Consumer Policy for 2009~2011’
-master plan for Korean consumer policy
□ The Korea Fair Trade Commission (Chairman: Yong-Ho Baek) held the 2nd ‘Consumer Policy Committee’ on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008. The KFTC released the ‘Fundamental Plan for Consumer Policy for 2009~2011’ which is the master plan for Korean consumer policy.
ㅇ According to the Framework Act on Consumer, the ‘Fundamental Plan for Consumer Policy ' is to be established every three years, this is firstly elaborated plan.
□ Under the exercise of consumer rights which is a consumer policy goal, the basic directives are as follows; ① Credible market building ② Consumer competence enhancement, ③ Reliable business culture encouragement ④Effective and proactive policy enforcement.
ㅇ The fundamental plan for consumer policy enables to implement consumer policies more systemically based on a mid-to-long-term perspective by establishing 10 policy objectives over 6 areas including consumer safety and transactions etc. Also, it provides excellent opportunities for reflecting consumer aspects in the governmental policies which have been executed mainly for industrial perspectives.
□ According to Jung-Hye Yoon, Director General of Consumer Policy Bureau of the KFTC,
“The fundamental plan for consumer policy is to be established every three years under the Framework Act on Consumer, this is an originally elaborated plan.” “The consumer policy will be consistently pursued for consumer aspects rather than a supplier oriented perspective which has been followed over the past years.”
<Main Stream of Fundamental Plan for Consumer Policy〉
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Classification |
Major Policy |
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Consumer safety reinforcement |
▪ Establishment of an integrated consumer injury surveillance system: Fast collection and provision of injury information from relevant organizations.
▪ Improvement of safety related labeling system: Difficult medical & pharmaceutical glossary changed to easier terminology, Introduction of green labeling for children’s taste foods |
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Fair trade and Trade Optimization |
▪ Stronger notification system of important information : Risk indication of financial product, indication of food product origin on internet advertising
▪ Introduction of Consent order in the Fair Labeling & Advertisement Act: Fast consumer damage redress through business operators’ voluntary correction advertisement and consumer damage compensation |
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Encouragement of consumer education and information provision |
▪ Establishment of an integrated consumer contact center : Enhancement of consumer counseling quality and prompt response via unified nationwide consumer counseling network
▪ eConsumer library set up: Consumers’ easy access to various consumer education contents on the internet |
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Improvement of consumer damage redress |
▪ CCMS expansion: Seeking various supports including special manual production & distribution for small & medium sized companies
▪ Establishment of Consumer friendly management support center: System implementation in order to encourage small & medium sized enterprises’ prevention against consumer damages and their voluntary resolutions
▪ Activation of consumer association lawsuit: Specify safety standards, indication standards and unfair business practices standards for the association law suit.
▪ Improvement of Collective Alternative Dispute Resolution system : More efficient dispute settlement procedures including representative party’s authority reinforcement |
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Efficient consumer policy |
▪ Consumer Advocacy role of Korea Fair Trade Commission : Consideration and reflection of governmental policy from consumers’ aspects
▪ Enforcement of tailored policies: More realistic social protection measures for vulnerable families such as old aged people houses, multi-cultural families or defectors. |
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