The telemarketer, Tium Communication, and its de facto operator were referred to prosecutors for refusing consumers' refund requests and failing to comply with the correction order from the Fair Trade Commission.
On the 1st, the Fair Trade Commission announced that it had filed charges against Tium Communication and its representative, a person surnamed Cho, for violating the Electronic Commerce Act. Cho is accused of ignoring a refund obligation order and a business suspension order received from the Fair Trade Commission in the past, while repeatedly conducting illegal business in the same manner.
According to the Fair Trade Commission, Cho has been operating cyber malls such as 'Dan-gol Mall' since 2020, without returning payments despite delays in product delivery or refund requests. In June 2023, he received a correction order along with a 135-day business suspension and was fined 11 million won.
However, it was revealed that even afterwards, he continued to operate new shopping malls under names such as 'Ssadagu Market,' 'Premium Market,' and 'Daiitda Mall,' engaging in similar refund refusal practices. On these sites, consumers were obstructed from withdrawing their application by being provided with 'mileage' instead of a refund, or being informed that exchanges or refunds were impossible except in the case of product defects.
The Fair Trade Commission determined that such actions violated consumers' right to withdraw their application under the Electronic Commerce Act and concluded that legal action was necessary against Cho and the corporation he operates. It was also confirmed that a separate shopping mall, 'S Mall,' run by Cho's family, was engaged in similar refund refusal practices. The Fair Trade Commission imposed a 90-day business suspension, a fine of 5 million won, and a correction order on this operator as well.
A Fair Trade Commission official noted, "This is a decisive response to malicious acts that have long infringed on consumers' legitimate rights and intentionally blocked application withdrawals," adding, "It will serve as an opportunity to prevent the recurrence of similar cases and strengthen the accountability of telemarketers."