Terms at some clinics that excessively restricted refunds for skin and beauty procedures prepaid by consumers will be improved.
On the 19th, the Korea Fair Trade Commission reviewed terms for using prepaid medical services at 15 dermatology and plastic surgery clinics and said it corrected six types of unfair contract clauses.
Prepaid treatment services—where package procedures are sold at clinic-level medical institutions for cosmetic purposes such as dermatology and plastic surgery, and fees are paid in advance—are expanding. As a result, when consumers request to terminate midcontract, more businesses have refused refunds, and cases of harm have increased.
In fact, the total number of dispute resolution cases related to prepaid treatment reported to the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) from 2021 to 2024 was 1,150. It rose from 88 in 2021 to 449 in 2024, about five times in three years. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) selected the top 15 clinics by number of cases received by the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) in 2023–2024 and had them voluntarily correct refund-related rules.
The terms at these clinics included provisions that dissatisfaction or discomfort with procedure results is not grounds for a refund, or that refunds are not allowed after a certain period. Some also stipulated penalties amounting to 20%–30% of the payment if the contract is terminated midterm.
Some clinics also included clauses stating they bear no civil or criminal legal liability even for responsibility arising from serious breaches of duty of care or negligence by medical staff or employees. There were also clauses saying consumers must not pursue legal issues regarding procedures refunded due to side effects.
It was also found that some had clauses prohibiting the transfer or sale of prepaid treatment vouchers. In addition, some stated that the resignation of a designated physician is not grounds for a refund.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said these clauses all excessively restrict consumer rights and demanded corrections, and the clinics agreed to voluntarily make changes.