Despite the rapid increase in consumer dispute mediation applications, the success rate falls... Business refusal 91.7%

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Soo-yeon = Applications for consumer dispute mediation seeking relief for various damages are increasing every year, but the rate of actual mediation being established appears to be decreasing.

According to data submitted by Social Democratic Party lawmaker Han Chang-min, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, from the Korea Consumer Agency on the 27th, the number of consumer dispute mediation applications increased every year from 4,118 in 2022 to 6,390 in 2023, 9,731 in 2024, and 13,671 in 2025. The number of applications in 2025 is 3.3 times that of 2022.

This year, a total of 8,227 cases were received from January to the 11th.

On the other hand, the proportion of cases in which reconciliation was established among the total number of cases processed fell from 40.3% in 2022 to 30.2% in 2025. This is a 10.1% point decrease compared to 2022.

This year, it was only 26.6% from January to September.

Looking at the reasons for 5,873 non-establishment cases from 2021 to September 11 of this year, business refusal was the most common at 91.7%. Consumer rejection was 7.1%, and both parties rejection was only 1.1%.

When looking at businesses that refused to mediate disputes between 2022 and July of this year, Naver had the most with a total of 124 times.

Trip.com followed with 51 cases, followed by Korea Information and Communication with 42 cases.

This year, Coupang rejected the Korea Consumer Agency's Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee's mediation proposal to compensate 100,000 won per person to customers who suffered damage due to personal information leaks.

Recently, Bithumb announced its intention to 'not accept' the Korea Consumer Agency's adjustment plan.

In relation to the dispute over subsidies for events linked to API (Application Program Interface), they rejected the Korea Consumer Agency's mediation proposal that a fee worth 100,000 won be waived to consumers, saying that they had added a note of caution late.

The Korea Consumer Agency has a Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee to mediate disputes that arise between consumers and businesses. The goal is to quickly resolve the issue before it goes to trial.

However, because both parties must accept the mediation decision, if the business rejects the mediation decision, the consumer will ultimately have no choice but to file a civil lawsuit to receive relief for damages.

Representative Han said, “The number of consumers using the collective dispute mediation system is increasing, but due to the business operator’s refusal of the mediation plan, the situation is effectively being reduced to a waiting process before consumer litigation,” and added, “Measures such as imposing penalties on business operators who repeatedly refuse mediation decisions are needed.”