This photo, taken on July 4, 2020, shows a wedding ceremony held in the southwestern city of Gwangju while keeping safe distances amid the new coronavirus outbreak. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on, soon-to-be-married couples are being forced to postpone their wedding because of family members or themselves testing positive for the virus.
In some cases, couples are charged exorbitant penalties for breach of contract, raising frustrations.
The Korea Consumer Agency received 47 consultation requests over COVID-19-related wedding hall disputes between January 1 and March 18.
More people are expected to be struggling with this issue considering that some people give up on requesting aid due to complicated procedures.
In 2020, the Fair Trade Commission allowed consumers to delay wedding hall reservations without having to pay for breach of contract in case of a quarantine-related event.
It was, however, given as no more than a recommendation, lacking any legal force.
Moreover, specific details about the adjustment of the contract between couples and wedding halls, in case of infections, have yet to be set.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
