A dog receives treatment at an animal shelter in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers northeast of Seoul, in this file photo taken May 20, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced that a revised Veterinarian Act was promulgated with a focus on obligating veterinarians to inform customers about expected expenses for medical treatment and surgical procedures.
Thus far, veterinarians were allowed to charge medical expenses arbitrarily, and it was difficult for customers to get information on medical expenses in advance since the names of medical treatments and the composition of medical expenses differed by veterinarian.
These practices became the main cause of disputes related to overcharging and unnecessary treatment.
Six months after the promulgation of the revised act, veterinarians will be required to explain the type of diagnosis and the need and side effects of medical treatments, and receive written consent from customers before conducting major treatments.
One year after the new law enters effect, veterinary clinics will be required to provide advance notice on expected medical expenses and disclose the medical expenses for diagnosis, hospitalization and medical checkups.
If veterinarians violate the new regulations, they can face fines of up to 1 million won (US$846) or a business suspension order.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
