Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Ford Korea troubled by 'angry' consumer
A Ford Explorer owner smashes his car with a baseball bat near Ford Korea's showroom in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Sunday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
By Nam Hyun-woo
Ford Korea has been puzzled by a disgruntled customer who claims the Korean unit of the U.S. carmaker sold him a used car to as if it was a new one.
The customer's claim has garnered public attention after he smashed up his Explorer SUV with a baseball bat in front of a Ford showroom in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, demanding Ford Korea acknowledge it has sold used cars and apologize.
According to the owner, surnamed Jang, he damaged his car, worth 50 million won, in order to protest Ford Korea and a domestic court's dismissal of his claim that the company deceived him by selling him a used car as if it were new.
“State-certified mechanics have proven that the car shows signs of repair, but neither Ford nor the court have acknowledged the company's actions,” Jang said. “Since I purchased the car, I have not replaced any parts of the car, so how could the car have signs of repair?”
According to Jang, he purchased the vehicle in May 2017 and was told his car showed signs of prior repairs when he visited a local mechanic in April 2018 to repair the car's leaky trunk.
After he found paint stains on the car's roof carrier and masking tape from a paint job, he requested a car assessment firm to check the car. The firm said the top inner side of the back door seems to have been repainted.
He filed a charge with police and prosecution against Ford Korea, but the prosecution dismissed the claim after analyzing the car's history submitted by Ford headquarters.
Jang requested the court to begin a case, but it was dismissed by a high court and the Supreme Court, citing a lack of information.
Jang said several other customers have complained of similar issues, and he will find ways to help them.
Ford Korea said it regretted Jang's claim, stressing that it has never disguised a used car as a new one.
“The claim that Ford Korea sold a used car is absolutely untrue and it was confirmed by domestic courts,” the company said in an official statement.
A PR agency official representing Ford Korea added that the company has already given Jang a new car, but he insisted that the company acknowledge that it sold a used car and apologize.