Purpose·Organization Activities Timeline

Home > About Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations > Timeline 1976 04.16 Inception (Lee Suk-jong as founding President), initiating organization: Korea Council of Women's Organizations, National Council of Homemakers' Classes, Korean Federation of Housewives' Clubs, Bylaws of National YWCA of Korea Council of Consumer Protection Organizations 1978 03.14 Registered as an incorporated association (Economic Planning Board Approval No. 36) 05.12. Registered with the City of Seoul as a consumer organization (No. 1) 09.25. First issue of Monthly magazine The Consumer published (large octavo, 52 pages) 11.06. the 1st National Consumer Rally held 1979 02.15. Consumers Union of Korea Joins the Council 07.03. Consumer Dial, a consumer complaint center, opened 1980 02.14. 2nd President Son In-sil takes office 1981 02.28. The Council's own consumer complaint center closed down and its duties relegated to complaint centers run by 4 member organizations 12.03. "Consumers'Day" created (Dec. 3) 1982 02.19 3rd President Jeong Gwang-mo inaugurated 03.01 Joined IOCU as a correspondent member 1983 02.01 Product Inspection Dept. created 12.03 2nd Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'the Organized Consumer' 1984 02.24 4th President Lee Yun-ja takes office 12.03 3rd Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Clean Environment, Consumer Power' 1985 03.07 Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection of Korea joins the Council 06.05 Consumer Rally on the theme of 'Wisdom for Today's Economy' 10.    1st show of weekly consumer exhibition held 12.03 4th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Making a Difference: An Economic Strategy for Consumers' 1986 02.21 5th President Hong Suk-ja inaugurated 07.24 President Hong Suk-ja resigns at 10th Extraordinary Meeting, 6th President Kim Cheon-ju takes office 12.03 5th Consumers' Day seminar 12.30 "Are You an Informed Consumer? " published 1987 06.30 6 member organizations registered with the Economic Planning Board pursuant to the amended Consumer Protection Act 06.25 "Protection Programs and Damage Compensation Fact Sheet "issued 12.03 6th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the topic of 'Rallying for Consumer Law Revision' 1988 02.29 7th President Kim Dong-hwan appointed 03.05 The Korea Institute for Public Welfare and Korea Consumer Education Center join the Council 03.14 10th Anniversary celebration event on the theme of 'Consumer Movements on the Eve of the New Millennium' 05.12 Korea National Council of Women joins the Council 12.10 National Council of YWCAs of Korea joins the Council 12.03 7th Consumers' Day seminar on the topic of 'Consumer Protection in the Age of Localization' 1989 01.    Bogus sales practices in department stores publicly denounced; an oversight organization for surveillance of department stores and receiving related consumer complaints opened 02.    Proclaimed 1989 as "the Better Business Year" 05.11 8th President Cho Young-hwang sworn in 12.03 8th Consumers' Day seminar on the topic of 'Import Liberalization and Consumer Response' 1990 02.23 9th President Park Geum-sun inaugurated 12.03 9th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'The Impact of UR Negotiations on the Korean Economy' 1991 12.31 Growing Consumers, an elementary school textbook, published 12.03 10th Consumers' Day seminar on the topic of 'Toward a Better Distribution Structure in Agricultural Produce' 1992 02.    10th President Jeong Gwang-mo sworn in 06.26 First issue of the weekly newsletter appeared 12.    Court rules department stores responsible of bogus sales guilty of fraudulent business practice 12.03 11th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Shaping A New Consumer' 1993 03.15 Celebration event for 11th World Consumer Rights Day held on the theme of 'Multinational Firms and Consumer Interest' 08.    Supreme Court upholds verdict against department stores accused of bogus sales 12.03 12th Consumers' Day seminar held on the topic of 'A Consumer Movement for Citizens' Autonomy in Civic Society' 1994 01.21 Issued official protest on behalf of consumer organizations at large against the bill submitted by the Administrative Reform Committee on loosening restrictive measures on the labeling requirement on date of manufacture in garments and apparel 02.    11th President Kang Mun-gyu inaugurated 10.24 Legislative petition filed, submitting amendment proposal for Consumer Protection Act 12.03 13th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Public Services and Consumer Safety' 12.09 'Honorary Oversight Committee for Food Hygiene and Safety ' formed 1995 03.04 'Green Card for Healthy and Just Consumer Culture' issued and distributed 07.05 Issued public statement on Sampung Department Store disaster; opened 158 complaint filing centers nationwide for consumer safety hazard issues 12.03 14th Consumers' Day seminar held on the topic of 'When Consumer Movements Do their Share in Putting an End to Corruption' 1996 02.    12th President Jeong Gwang-mo sworn in 04.19 Celebration event for 20th Anniversary of the Council 10.01 Public hearing held on the Product Liability Act (draft) 12.03 Celebration event and lectures for Consumer Protection Day 12.04   ~05 Korea-EU Joint Forum hosted to celebrate the 1st Consumer Protection Day 1997 03.20 Emergency response meeting discussing ways to protect consumer interest against Amway products distributed using a multi-level marketing scheme 04.22 Multilateral citizens' commission created 04.24 Meeting with Amway Korea Ltd to demand corrective actions on unfair business practices 05.22 Filed case against Amway Korea Ltd with the Fair Trade Commission 06.05 Campaign 'Don't Let Amway Fool You' launched 12.03 Celebration event and lectures hosted on the occasion of the 2nd Consumer Protection Day 12.29 Established the citizens' movement headquarters for gold drive for repayment of national foreign debts and served as office of secretary general (involving 104 citizens organizations) 1998 02.    13th President Lee Nam-ju inaugurated 03.18 Inauguration ceremony for 'Consumer Organization Price Watcher Squad' (Seoul, 195 price watchers) 05.11 Letter of complaint sent to the EU Chamber of Commerce in Korea on the derogatory remarks on consumer organizations published in its 'Trade Issue 1998 06.02 Lodged grievance against Chosun Ilbo, the national daily, with the Press Arbitration Commission, charging the newspaper with libel and defamation for citing materials published by the EU Chamber of Commerce without due verification 06.18 Organized a rally against the Regulatory Reform Committee to protest indiscriminate regulatory liberalization initiatives and to renew resolution to work toward healthy and just consumer culture 09.11 Filed criminal charge against the EU Chamber of Commerce for libel against consumer organizations 12.03 Celebration event and symposium held on the occasion of 3rd Consumer Protection Day 1999 03.09 Issued public statement on behalf of consumer organizations issued concerning government reorganization 04.13 Held public hearing on chronic issues relating to Seoul's subway system 12.03 Celebration event held for the 4th Consumer Protection Day 2000 01.26 Street protest organized to demand re-export of pork imported from Belgium 01.28 Held public hearing for revision of the Home Solicitation Sales Act 02.    14th President Kim Cheon-ju takes office 06.01 Consumer Rally for Energy Saving held 09.01 Forum hosted to discuss safety measures on imported food articles - title: A Forum on Imported Food Safety: the Case of Lead Slug-inserted Blue Crabs 12.01 Consumers' Day seminar held on the theme of 'How Safe Are Daily Household Goods?' 12.07 Campaign to encourage participation in traffic regulation scheme, banning cars from circulation on calendar dates matching with last digits of license plate number 2001 02.15 Forum on GMO foods - content: Response measures toward the upcoming GMO labeling requirement imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 09.24 Meeting with Subcommittee for New Shopping Culture of the Council of Citizens' Movements for World Cup 2002 - content: Cooperation between the Council of Citizens' Movements and consumer organizations, missions for citizens' movements for World Cup 2002 11.23 Report of results of the survey of consumer satisfaction on public services provided by the city of Seoul in 2001 and press conference 12.04 6th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Pay-per-view content and Consumer Protection' 12.04 Unity rally of volunteer consumer activists on the occasion of Consumers' Day 12.05 6th Consumers' Day ceremony and seminar on the topic of 'Protecting Consumer Interest in the Age of Information' 12.    Consumer education website for children 'Consumer World for Kids' launched 2002 01.    Regions covered by special price monitoring extended to 36 02.    15th President Lee Yun-ja sworn in 05.    National Consumer Price Committee workshop hosted 05.22 'Consumer Protection Center for Foreigners' opened in preparation for World Cup 2002 05.    Campaign to encourage adoption of price-as-marked policy among shops in the run-up to the World Cup 07.31 Meeting to discuss support and follow-up activities following the entry into force of the Product Liability Act - content: presentation on support programs made available by government agencies in conjunction with the entry into force of the Product Liability Act and follow-up measures 10.    Developed information portal 'Food Hazard Information System' 10.    Developed web portal 'One-click Consumer Info' 12.03 7th Consumers' Day seminar on the topic of 'Toward More Effective Consumer Compensation Programs' 12.23 Activity Report 2002 presented by the Honorary Oversight Committee for Food Hygiene and Safety 2003 09.    'The Public Hearing for Consumers' Right to Know' held (on the dropped charge against Puluwon relating to GMO tofu) 12.03    8th Consumers' Day seminar hosted on the theme of 'Coming to the Rescue of the Consumer Economy' 12.    Dispute Resolution Committee formed 2004 02.    16th President Lee Haeng-ja inaugurated 06.    1st National Working Level Training Content: Improvement of Consumer Organizations' Role, Leadership of Consumer Organizations 11.12 Evaluation of the 2004 Brand Rice Project Content: Award for the Top Brand Rice, Award for the Best Online Rice Consumer Rally, Seminar for the Development of Rice Distribution 12.01 Seminar for the 9th Consumers' Day Content: Era of Consumers, Changing Consumers 2005 03.    Workshop for Seoul Bus Monitors Content: Case Study and Operational Direction with Seoul Bus Monitors 05.    Workshop for Consumer Representatives of the Price Committee Content: 2005 Economy Forecast, Public Service and Fee 09.03 Evaluation of the 2004 Brand Rice Project Content: Presentation of Project Results, Award Ceremony for the Top Brand Rice Seminar for the Development of Rice Distribution 09.    Workshop for Price Monitors Content: 2006 Economy Forecast, Economy and Consumers, Marketing and Consumer Research 10.11   ~12 2nd National Working Level Training Content: Communication Skills, Proposal Writing 12.01 Seminar for the 10th Consumers' Day Content: Internet and Consumers 2006 02.    17th Chairperson Jeong Gwang Mo takes office 05.29   ~30 1st Working Level Training in 2006 Content: Lawsuit and Law 10.17 Total Evaluation of Brand Rice Projects 10.26 2nd Working Level Training in 2006 Content: Basic Consumer Law, International Standards for Consumer Policy Case Study of Consumer Movements 11.28 Seminar for the 11th Consumers' Day Content: Basic Consumer Law and Consumer Movements 12.08  ~09 National Conference on Consumer Prices Content: 2006 Achievement Report, Discussion of Efficiency Improvement 12.15 International Forum on Consumer Education Strategy Content: Education Strategy to Improve Consumers' Rights 2007 06.04   ~05 1st Working Level Training in 2007 Content: Five Essential Laws for Consumers, Collective Lawsuit, Understanding Medical Lawsuits 10.02 2007 Total Evaluation of Brand Rice Projects 10.04   ~05 2007 Workshop for Price Monitors Content: Importance of Price Monitors and Performance Upgrade 10.18 2nd Working Level Training in 2007 Content: CSW for Workers in Consumer Organizations 11.    1st Consumer Forum Content: What Should We Prepare for Collective Lawsuits? 12.07 Seminar for the 12th Consumers' Day Content: Forecast and Mission for Globalization 12.13  ~14 National Conference on Consumer Prices Content: 2007 Achievement Report, Super Case Presentation 12.18 2nd Consumer Forum and Project Discussion Content: International Trends in Consumer Movements, Achievements of and Prospects for Korea's Consumer Movements 2008 02.26 18th Chairperson Kim Cheon-ju takes office. 05.13   ~14 1st Working Level Training in 2008 Content: Special Course for Consumer Activists

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