"Rotok, Not False or Exaggerated Advertising" Fair Trade Commission Concludes No Charges (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyung-min, Kim Dae-hyun] The Fair Trade Commission has concluded that there is no suspicion regarding the Korea Bar Association's (KBA) accusation that the legal platform 'Lotoc' engaged in false and exaggerated advertising.

On the 1st, Ro & Company, the operator of Lotoc, stated, "The KBA accused Lotoc of inflating the number of member lawyers and advertising in a way that misleads consumers, but the Fair Trade Commission judged that there is no suspicion."

First, Ro & Company emphasized, "The KBA executive board claimed that 'Lotoc has only about 1,400 registered lawyers but lies by stating a much larger number.' The Fair Trade Commission clearly stated, 'As a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that as of last July, Lotoc had 3,000 member lawyers.'"

They also added, "The Fair Trade Commission judged that it is difficult to see that Lotoc used false, exaggerated, or deceptive methods to attract and transact with consumers or that it engaged in such labeling or advertising."

Earlier, the KBA and the Seoul Bar Association (Seoul Bar) filed a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission in August, accusing Ro & Company of violating the Electronic Commerce Act and the Act on Labeling and Advertising by engaging in false, exaggerated, and deceptive advertising targeting consumers.

This year, the KBA revised regulations on lawyer advertising and the lawyer ethics code to prohibit lawyers from using legal platforms, deciding to discipline those who violate this. Initially, 1,440 lawyers were reported for using Lotoc, and it is known that only about 200 of them have not yet withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the Korea Legal Professionals Association opposed the Fair Trade Commission's decision and requested a meeting with the Fair Trade Commission chairman and a public debate.

The organization issued a statement summarizing this, saying, "The Korea Bar Association is a supplementary legislative authority authorized by the National Assembly and cannot be subject to judgments by the Fair Trade Commission or the prosecution," and argued, "If lawyer introduction platforms are left unattended, it is expected that a dominant market position will be established."

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