Disputes Over Wedding Hall Cancellation Fees Increase 15-Fold... Consumer Agency "Actively Responding to Damages"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 25th that it will actively respond to consumer damages related to wedding hall cancellation fees as the social distancing level 2 measures are expanded nationwide.

According to the Consumer Agency, since the 19th, face-to-face events with more than 50 people indoors have become difficult in the metropolitan area, leading to a surge in disputes over cancellation or postponement fees for weddings. From the 19th to the 24th, after the government announcement, a total of 490 consumer consultations related to wedding hall cancellation fees were received at the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center, a 15.3-fold increase compared to the same period last year (32 cases).

To actively cope with ongoing COVID-19 related cancellation fee disputes, the Consumer Agency formed and operated a ‘Consumer Damage Intensive Response Team’ from March 16 to April 30. They expanded dedicated personnel for cancellation fee disputes to shorten the damage relief processing period and increase the agreement rate with businesses, actively addressing consumer disputes.

Additionally, they are participating in discussions to establish standards for reducing cancellation fees related to infectious diseases in cooperation with the Fair Trade Commission, the Korea Wedding Industry Association, local governments, and consumer organizations.

The Consumer Agency provides Q&A on its website to help engaged couples cope well with damages following the announcement of social distancing level 2 implementation in the metropolitan area. They are also working with major local governments to find more effective ways to resolve consumer disputes with businesses in those regions.

With the nationwide implementation of social distancing level 2, the Consumer Agency is promptly reactivating the ‘Consumer Damage Intensive Response Team’ and actively responding to consumer disputes related to cancellation fees in major service sectors such as wedding services.

Meanwhile, the Korea Wedding Industry Association, following the Fair Trade Commission’s proposal, recommended its member companies allow weddings to be postponed without cancellation fees for up to six months. However, since only 30% of wedding halls belong to the association, there is potential for disputes with the remaining wedding halls. Therefore, the Consumer Agency plans to make every effort to ensure smooth agreements between consumers and businesses for damage relief.

Lee Hee-sook, Director of the Consumer Agency, emphasized, “As the COVID-19 situation continues, we have been flexibly operating dedicated organizations and personnel to systematically respond to consumer disputes. Since both consumers and businesses are facing difficulties, wisdom is needed to resolve issues through mutual concessions for amicable agreements.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.