The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea to ease entry rules to boost tourism, domestic spending

  • 3

    Korea moves to shorten COVID-19 isolation period to 5 days

  • 5

    IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'

  • 7

    Will dismantling oligopoly result in successful bank industry reform?

  • 9

    Terraform Labs co-founder's extradition could be delayed more than 1 month

  • 11

    Fintech, lifestyle products can help Korea grow trade ties with Hong Kong: city's trade promotion chief in Korea

  • 13

    INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry

  • 15

    Ex-journalist to lead NK defector support foundation

  • 17

    LX Hausys inks strategic alliance with Reynaers for high-end home windows market

  • 19

    Korea-Japan relations experts call for joint research to co-write history textbooks

  • 2

    From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race

  • 4

    INTERVIEWCan art become stable investment source?

  • 6

    Generation Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soap

  • 8

    Apple to open 5th retail store in Korea this week

  • 10

    Celltrion chairman vows to develop new drugs, initiate M&As

  • 12

    Top envoy to US tapped as new national security advisor

  • 14

    Advancing biological weapons convention (BWC): the Philippine role

  • 16

    Korean players faced with uncertainty in new MLB season

  • 18

    Seoul participates in Asia's biggest smart city expo in Taipei

  • 20

    US to continue building defense capabilities against NK nuclear threats

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, March 31, 2023 | 02:46
-------------------------
'Black consumers' to be shown no mercy
법원, 블랙컨슈머 엄벌 의지
Posted : 2013-01-07 19:15
Updated : 2013-01-07 19:15
Kim Rahn
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
An Optimus Mach smartphone made by LG Electronics, the battery of which exploded, according to its owner. However, a police investigation found this claim to be false, and a court fined him on charges of defaming the manufacturer. / Captured from Interne
An Optimus Mach smartphone made by LG Electronics, the battery of which exploded, according to its owner. However, a police investigation found this claim to be false, and a court fined him on charges of defaming the manufacturer. / Captured from Interne

By Kim Rahn


Law enforcement authorities and courts are increasingly getting tough on the so-called "black consumers" or charlatans who make international inappropriate complaints of products in order to coerce compensation from manufacturers.

On Monday, the Seoul Southern District Court slapped a 15 million won fine on a 28-year-old man, surnamed Kim, for spreading false rumors that his cell phone battery exploded. He was indicted for defamation and interference with business by spreading false rumors.

In November 2011, the battery of Kim's Optimus Mach smartphone made by LG Electronics burned because of an external factor, but he claimed that it exploded during normal use while he was updating a navigation program. He claimed the damaged phone was bought two weeks earlier.

Kim wrote his claims on numerous websites along with photos of the phone under the title "Korean smartphone explosion, I can't stand it anymore!" His posting soon spread quickly, resulting in bloggers ridiculing the smartphone, calling it "explosi-mus" or "explosion mach."

He also distributed leaflets containing his claims to people near LG's headquarters in Yeouido, central Seoul. He accused the company of not promptly responding to his case and even trying to cover it up.

Following Kim's claim, LG Electronics collected the battery and examined it. Concluding it was impossible for the battery to explode during normal use, the company requested a police investigation.

A court official said the 15 million won fine is rather higher than penalties given in other similar cases, because "The false rumor defamed LG Electronics and caused huge damage to the product's image. Kim is also not reflecting on his wrongdoing and he has a previous conviction of fraud."

Another tough action against a black consumer took place last December.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office arrested and indicted a 56-year-old man, Lee, on charges of habitual fraud, as he blackmailed companies for financial gains to the tune of 240 million won.

Lee allegedly visited a service center of Samsung Electronics in a Gyeonggi Provincial city last April and demanded a refund, claiming his LED television didn't work well. He reportedly engaged in a rowdy behavior and he was offered 6.2 million won compensation as a result. Resorting to similar tactics, he obtained some 200 million won over 206 occasions between 2009 and last September.

He also claimed that he had his PDA phone repaired at the same center and an important memo saved in the phone was removed. Lee threatened that he would spread this on the Internet, and the center gave him 5.9 million won. He took about 31 million won since 2006 through such threats.

According to a survey on 314 companies by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2011, more than 83 percent said they have had black consumers. While a small number of people habitually engage in such malicious acts on diverse companies, firms are not allowed to share information about them because it is considered "consumer information," which has to be classified.


법원, 블랙컨슈머 엄벌 의지

검찰과 법원이 보상을 목적으로 악성 민원을 제기하는 블랙컨슈머들에게 중형을 내리고 있다.

서울중앙지법은 김모씨(28)에게 휴대전화 배터리가 폭발했다는 허위 사실 유포에 의한 업무방해와 명예훼손 혐의로 벌금 1천500만원을 선고했다.

김씨는 지난 2011년 11월, 자신이 두 주 전에 산 LG전자의 옵티머스 마하 스마트폰이 외부 자극 때문에 연소했는데도 내비게이션 프로그램을 업데이트하는 정상적인 사용 과정에서 폭발했다고 주장했다.

김씨는 인터넷 게시판에 사진과 함께 “국산 스마트폰 폭발, 더 이상 참을 수가 없네요”라는글로 허위 사실을 유포했다. 김씨의 글은 널리 유포돼, 네티즌들이 이 스마트폰을 ‘폭티머스’ ‘폭마하’로 부르기에 이르렀다.

김씨는 또 여의도 LG전자 본사 근처에서 허위 사실을 담은 유인물을 배포하기도 했으며, LG전자가 사건 처리에 늑장을 부리고 쉬쉬하려 한다고 주장했다.

LG전자는 사고 배터리를 수거해 폭발 원인을 분석했으며, 정상적인 사용 중에 배터리가 폭발할 수 없다는 분석을 토대로 경찰에 수사를 의뢰했다.
Emailrahnita@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation
2Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace
3[INTERVIEW] South Korea needs to make decision on sending lethal aid to Ukraine : CNAS CEO INTERVIEWSouth Korea needs to make decision on sending lethal aid to Ukraine : CNAS CEO
4Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report
5Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan
6South Korea nominates new ambassador to USSouth Korea nominates new ambassador to US
7French admiral highlights importance of multilateralism in Indo-Pacific region French admiral highlights importance of multilateralism in Indo-Pacific region
8Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods
9Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds
10Chun Doo-hwan's grandson to visit May 18 National Cemetery Chun Doo-hwan's grandson to visit May 18 National Cemetery
Top 5 Entertainment News
1From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race From IVE to NCT DOJAEJUNG, K-pop hotshots brace for April chart race
2IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream' IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'
3[INTERVIEW] Foreign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry
4NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience
5[INTERVIEW] Ahn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound' INTERVIEWAhn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group