"Cross-Border Transaction Consumer Portal" Open for Service

-Better access to information and more convenient to seek redress-

  Amid the continuing growth of cross-border consumer transactions such as overseas online shopping, the Korea Consumer Agency (www.kca.go.kr) has opened the "Cross-Border Transaction Consumer Portal (crossborder.kca.go.kr)" service to help consumers engage in cross-border transactions in a safe and sound manner.

  Available in Korean, English, and Chinese, the website contains various information on how to cancel orders as well as return policies of popular overseas online shopping malls such as Amazon (US), eBay (US), Taobao (China), and Rakuten (Japan). The website also provides English expressions by complaint type for consumers who wish to directly complaint to the pertinent business operator.

  In cases where a consumer who engaged in transaction with a business operator in Japan or Vietnam requested redress via the website, it will be handled by the KCA in cooperation with relevant local institutions, i.e., the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (NCAC) and the Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA).

  Other services offered include information on online shopping mall operators that get the most consumer complaints (enabling consumers to verify trustworthy websites before making purchases) and overseas online shopping mall user's guide (informing consumers of matters that require attention when looking to purchase items). Also, consumers can pre-calculate costs by referring to the weekly foreign exchange rates and expected tariffs and value-added tax rates, which are provided by the Korea Customs Service.

  As for foreign consumers using Korean online shopping malls, information pertaining to laws and standard provisions on electronic commerce as well as related consumer damage cases is offered in English and Chinese. The website also allows consumers to check business registration numbers of online shopping mall operators to determine its legitimacy.

  Going forward, the KCA plans to continuously upload information on the website and broaden international cooperation to prevent and resolve consumer damages related to cross-border transactions.