By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

``Twenty-four hours after payment, the deposit will not be refunded. The company holds no responsibility for any problems occurring after delivery to the customer.''

These are not clauses for the purchase of products, but for foreign brides arranged by Korean matchmaking agencies.

An official of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Tuesday that the commission ordered NB and Jupiter, two marriage agencies specializing in marriages between Koreans and foreigners, to correct clauses through which they evaded their responsibility and infringed upon members' rights unfairly.

One of NB's clauses said, ``The company does not refund deposits 24 hours after they are paid,'' while Jupiter said, ``The fee is for marriage, so the agency does not refund the fee but makes its utmost effort to find the member a marriage partner.''

The commission official said customers should be able to get a refund of deposits as well as compensation in cases where problems occur due to a company's fault or mistake. ``It is unfair and disadvantageous to customers to limit the refund period or not refund at all regardless of whether the company fulfills the contract,'' he said.

Another clause of NB said: ``NB's responsibility and duty is completed when the bride arrives in Korea and is handed over to the bridegroom. The responsibility for any problems occurring afterward lies with the bridegroom, so he cannot file a lawsuit.'' The FTC said the clause is also unfair, as it exempts NB from responsibility for troubles attributable to the agency.

NB and Jupiter were also ordered to correct clauses which made members pay expenses such as airfare, regardless of the firms' fault or mistake, when their would-be brides refuse to come to Korea without specific reasons or when they do not marry after interviews.

As a growing number of men in rural areas tie the knot with foreign women, the number of such marriage agencies has reached about 800, according to the commission.

In 2002, three claims were reported to the Korea Consumer Agency about such matchmaking firms, but the reports jumped to 96 in 2006. The most frequently reported claim was about agencies' refusal to give a refund, followed by spouses running away and the firms' demanding additional fees.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr