The Broadcasting and Communications Commission (BCC) warned on July 27 about potential user harm due to exaggerated promotions by some mobile phone retailers during the pre-order period for the Galaxy Z8 series, including excessive promises of subsidies and giveaways.
The BCC emphasized the importance of verifying the sales entity and contract details when pre-ordering to prevent user harm. According to the Korea Association of Information and Communication Technology (KAIT), which has implemented a registration system for retailers since May, customers should check for pre-approval documents and retailer identification to confirm the responsible sales entity.
Consumers should also ensure that the promised subsidies and giveaway details are included in the contract. If these details are not documented, users may not receive the promised benefits. The BCC stated that contracts are essential evidence for protecting user rights and should be obtained and kept securely.
Additionally, starting in September, the three major mobile carriers (SK Telecom, which has already implemented this) will establish a system to include retailer information in mobile service contracts for user transparency.
The BCC advised that if users experience issues such as non-payment of subsidies or failure to receive contracts during the pre-order and activation process, they can report these incidents through the User Participation Reporting System operated by the User Protection Association (KCUP).
Kim Jong-cheol, chairman of the BCC, stated, "During the pre-order period, users should not rely solely on the subsidies presented by retailers but should carefully check the conditions stated in the actual contract. If there are suspicions of exaggerated or false advertising, please report it immediately through the User Participation Reporting System."
Meanwhile, the domestic retail prices for the Galaxy Z8 series are set at 2,577,300 won for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage, 2,278,100 won for the Galaxy Z Fold8, and 1,683,000 won for the Galaxy Z Flip8.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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