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| 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.
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.
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