Korea Consumer Agency Issues Warning Over False and Exaggerated Ads by Private Providers
4,586 Related Damage Cases Reported Over the Past Three Years
About 90% of Cases Involve "Refund Refusal" and Similar Issues
Beauty, Barista, Pilates, and More
An academy for obtaining a certification (the photo is not directly related and is provided only to help readers understand the article). The Asia Business Daily database.
Recent research has found that damage cases caused by insufficient information disclosure and exaggerated advertising by private certification providers have been surging.
According to the Korea Consumer Agency on February 11, a total of 4,586 consumer counseling cases related to private certifications were reported to the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center from 2022 through August 2025. In 2024 alone, related counseling cases jumped by 95.4% compared with the previous year.
Looking at the damage cases, contract-related issues such as refusal to provide refunds and excessive fees accounted for 87.9% of all counseling cases. The main certification fields were beauty, barista, and Pilates·yoga.
In one example, Ms. A saw an advertisement in May last year for an "official nail art certification under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Employment and Labor" and enrolled in a certification course costing more than 2.2 million won. However, she only learned after signing the contract that the certification was issued not by the state but by a private association. When she requested a refund from the provider, it was refused and she was unable to get her money back.
A Korea Consumer Agency inspection of the operational status of 103 private certifications (run by 49 companies) found that 48.5% used advertising phrases likely to mislead consumers. These providers used expressions such as "state-designated" and "institution with public credibility," causing consumers to mistake the certifications for ones that would receive treatment equivalent to national qualifications. They also engaged in false and exaggerated advertising with phrases like "100% job placement guarantee," "how to earn 10 million won a month," and "obtain it with absolutely zero tuition fees."
In 83.5% of the cases, the total cost incurred during the certification acquisition process was not disclosed. The Framework Act on Qualifications stipulates that when advertising private certifications, information such as costs and refund terms must be provided. In 63.1% of cases, the timing at which refunds became unavailable and the refund rates were set less favorably than the Ministry of Education's standard terms and conditions for private certifications.
The Korea Consumer Agency advised consumers to check, before signing a contract, whether the certification they intend to obtain is registered in the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training's "Private Certification Information Service." It added, "Carefully review the information so as not to be misled by false or exaggerated advertisements, and be sure to confirm the cancellation and refund policy and the total cost before entering into a contract."
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