South Korea is set to implement new measures requiring animal hospitals to display their service fees more prominently. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – In a move to enhance consumer protection and transparency in the veterinary industry, South Korea is set to implement new measures requiring animal hospitals to display their service fees more prominently.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over a meeting of the Consumer Policy Committee on August 26 at the Seoul Government Complex, where five agenda items, including this new initiative, were deliberated and approved.
Currently, animal hospitals are required to display their fees either within the hospital premises or on their websites. However, critics argue that when prices are only available online, some consumers find it challenging to access this information in advance.
To address this concern, the Consumer Policy Committee plans to recommend that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs make it mandatory for veterinary clinics to post their fees inside the hospital as a primary requirement, with additional display on their websites.
The committee meeting also addressed several other consumer protection measures, deciding to advise the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to reclassify “infant bouncers” (inclined cradles) as childcare products rather than infant beds.
This change will also require the addition of sleep-related warning labels on these products.
In the financial sector, the Financial Services Commission will be advised to establish regulations requiring the Financial Supervisory Service to inform courts when lawsuits are filed regarding cases under mediation.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will be recommended to implement record-keeping practices for the sale of “customized health functional foods,” including requirements to indicate the date of subdivision and combination on these products.
Lastly, the Ministry of Environment will be advised to proactively provide information about substances that pose serious risks to human health through their website, without the need for specific consumer requests.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
