SEOUL - Amid prolonged controversy over excessive fees and a lack of transparency in the wedding industry, the South Korean government said it has mandated changes to contract terms at 18 major wedding planning firms.
Under the change, the FTC ordered these wedding agencies to disclose prices for all elements of wedding packages, including any additional fees and cancellation charges. The revised rule also addresses issues with excessive cancellation policies, which the FTC said weigh unreasonably on consumers. Specifically, some clauses require that 20 per cent of the total price of a package wedding be paid as a deposit, which was non-refundable under any circumstances if the contract is cancelled. Under the new guidelines, the wedding planners must offer cancellation policies in compliance with the law and stipulate penalty fees based on the timing of service use.