Korea Consumer Agency Receives 327 Damage Relief Requests Over Past Five Years
Check Refund Policies for Cancellations Due to Heavy Rain or Snow
As the number of people going camping increases, disputes between business operators and consumers are also on the rise, particularly during the process of canceling campground reservations.
Campground (Photo unrelated to the article)
The Korea Consumer Agency announced on June 17 that there have been a total of 327 cases of damage relief related to campgrounds reported over the past five years. The number of cases was 72 in 2020, 52 in 2021, 54 in 2022, 72 in 2023, and 77 in 2024, indicating that such incidents have occurred steadily each year.
The main types of damages included disputes over "contract cancellation and penalty fees," which accounted for 55.9% (183 cases), and "refusal to withdraw subscription," which made up 19.3% (63 cases). In total, dissatisfaction with refunds due to cancellations before using the campground represented 75.2% (246 cases) of all cases. This was followed by "breach of contract" due to poor sanitation or restricted use of facilities such as water supply or heating system failures, at 15.6% (51 cases), and "unfair practices," such as charging additional fees without prior notice, at 4.6% (15 cases).
Looking at the specific reasons for disputes related to contract cancellation and penalty fees, the most common was "weather changes and natural disasters" such as typhoons and heavy rain, accounting for 33.3% (61 cases). This was followed by "dissatisfaction with cancellation and refund policies due to consumer reasons" at 31.2% (57 cases), and "infectious diseases" at 19.1% (35 cases).
The Korea Consumer Agency analyzed that, recently, sudden heavy rain and snow caused by weather changes have become more frequent in Korea, which has led to an increase in disputes over business operators refusing refunds or charging penalty fees when campground contracts are canceled.
According to the "Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards (Accommodation Industry)," if a consumer is unable to travel to the accommodation area or use the facility due to climate change or natural disasters, the business operator is required to refund the deposit even if the cancellation is made on the day of use. However, an analysis of actual cases revealed that many campgrounds have no standards for contract cancellation related to strong winds or heavy rain, or have standards that differ from the "Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards" by imposing penalty fees on consumers.
Of the 325 cases received by the Korea Consumer Agency over the past five years for which the location of the campground was confirmed, "Gyeonggi/Incheon" accounted for the highest proportion at 48.3% (157 cases), followed by "Daejeon/Sejong/Chungcheong" at 15.7% (51 cases), "Gangwon" at 12.9% (42 cases), and "Busan/Ulsan/Gyeongnam" at 11.1% (36 cases).
The Korea Consumer Agency plans to collaborate with the Korea Tourism Organization to share damage cases with approximately 4,000 campground operators nationwide. In addition, it will work to spread awareness of the Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards to prevent consumer harm and improve the transaction environment.
In the future, the agency will monitor campground terms and conditions and damage cases nationwide, and will work with local governments in areas with high consumer complaints and major tourist destinations to implement measures to reduce harm.
Furthermore, consumers are advised to carefully check the weather forecast and facility information for the day of use before signing a contract, and to review the penalty fee regulations on the campground website or reservation platform. In the event of a dispute, consumers should keep evidence such as photos and audio recordings, and especially in cases of cancellation due to weather changes, secure weather advisories or warning documents issued by the Korea Meteorological Administration.
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