The operators of the cybermalls "Oneulgwail" and "Kuma Market" were sanctioned by the Fair Trade Commission after they made customers' negative reviews private.
On the 12th, the Fair Trade Commission said it issued corrective and public announcement orders and imposed fines of 5 million won each on First Entertainment, the operator of Oneulgwail, and Korea Organic, the operator of Kuma Market, for violating the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, Etc.
According to the Fair Trade Commission, First Entertainment, while selling fresh foods such as fruit on Oneulgwail, made private the dissatisfied reviews written by consumers. Korea Organic likewise hid dissatisfied reviews written by consumers while selling industrial products such as cosmetics on Kuma Market.
The Fair Trade Commission determined that these acts constituted luring consumers by deceptive means.
The Fair Trade Commission said, "This measure is meaningful in that user reviews, which have a decisive impact on whether to purchase in electronic commerce, were provided accurately to consumers, thereby improving their rational purchase decision-making."