Seoul Unveils Broad Consumer Protection Plan Ahead of 2026 (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEJONG, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s government on Tuesday approved a sweeping consumer protection plan aimed at preventing harm before it occurs, stepping up scrutiny of deceptive digital marketing practices known as “dark patterns” and tightening safety standards for everyday products, officials said.
The Consumer Policy Committee, chaired by Kim Sung-sook, approved the 2026 Comprehensive Consumer Policy Implementation Plan at a meeting in Seoul, according to the Korea Fair Trade Commission, which serves as the committee’s secretariat.
The plan reflects a broader shift toward strengthening consumer safety and ensuring meaningful freedom of choice amid rapid technological change.
Key initiatives include expanded automatic alerts to firefighters when electric vehicle fire risks are detected, new safety guidelines for digital therapeutics, tougher oversight of manipulative online sales tactics and crackdowns on the manipulation of probability disclosures in gaming and digital items.
The plan also prioritizes tailored financial education for older adults, faster dispute resolution in cases of personal data leaks, improved cooperation among agencies to resolve e-commerce disputes and better access to information and purchasing channels for environmentally friendly products.
The committee called on relevant ministries to close regulatory blind spots that could expose consumers to harm. It urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to strengthen safety standards for automatic doors, noting that current rules fall short of national standards that specify sensor ranges and safe distances.
It also asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to set a cap on fees for issuing animal vaccination certificates, citing wide price disparities among veterinary clinics.
Other recommendations include introducing validity periods for privately issued certifications to reduce consumer confusion, similar to time limits applied to nationally recognized licenses, and establishing clearer standards for substantiating claims that products are environmentally friendly.
The latter recommendation was directed at the climate and environment authorities, reflecting concerns about vague or misleading “green” advertising.
At the meeting, Ms. Kim said the plan comes at a time when rising food prices, misleading artificial intelligence-driven advertising, privacy breaches and the inflow of potentially harmful overseas products are putting pressure on consumers.
“This is a moment when the combined efforts of government, consumers and civil society are more important than ever to build a safe and trustworthy consumer environment,” she said.
The Fair Trade Commission also said it would broaden consumer participation in setting policy agendas and deepen consultations with consumer groups. Nam Dong-il, the commission’s vice chairman, said the agency is pursuing reforms to activate class-action lawsuits, establish a consumer compensation fund and strengthen sanctions to deter corporate misconduct.
The measures align with the Democratic Party–led government’s push to move consumer protection from after-the-fact remedies toward early prevention, as digital commerce and new technologies reshape everyday consumption.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
