Coway "Nickel Water Purifier Compensation Ruling, Ice Water Purifier Discontinued in 2016"

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Coway, which was ordered on the 20th to pay damages to consumers for concealing the fact that nickel components were detected inside its ice water purifiers, has released a related statement.

Coway explained on the same day, "This Supreme Court ruling is limited to the three discontinued and recalled ice water purifier models from 2016 (CHPI/CPI-380N, CHPCI-430N, CPSI-370N)" and added, "It is a judgment regarding a violation of the duty to notify, which has nothing to do with product defects or harm to human health."

Coway further stated, "It is completely unrelated to the current Coway ice water purifiers," and added, "Since 2016, we have focused on strengthening product hygiene and securing customer trust by applying stainless steel materials to all core components that make ice in ice water purifiers."

The Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice No Jeonghee) confirmed the lower court's ruling in the appeal trial of a damages lawsuit filed by 78 water purifier consumers, including Mr. A, against Coway, ordering "the plaintiffs, 78 people, to be compensated 1 million won each."

According to the Supreme Court, in July 2015, Coway received consumer reports and employee notifications that "silver-colored metallic substances" were found in its ice water purifiers. In August of the same year, Coway's internal investigation found that nickel plating had peeled off from the structure that cools the ice (evaporator), mixing into the drinking water in the cold water tank and other parts. However, Coway did not inform consumers who purchased or leased the water purifiers of this fact. Coway only publicly apologized after media reports surfaced in July 2016.

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