▲ Korea Consumer Agency
The Consumer Dispute Settlement Commission announced today (October 13) that it has decided to initiate dispute settlement proceedings regarding the cancellation of the "2026 Han River River Cross Swimming Challenge" outdoor swimming competition.
The event, hosted by the Songpa-gu Swimming Federation in Seoul, was originally scheduled to be held on June 20 to 21. However, it experienced disruptions such as being launched and then canceled due to heavy rain and increased water discharge from the Paldang Dam.
In response, 67 consumers filed for a class action dispute settlement with the commission in August, claiming they suffered damages due to the cancellation and contradictory guidance regarding the event.
The consumers who filed for the settlement stated, "The organizers announced normal holding until right before the event and later provided conflicting guidance regarding approval status, causing the competition to be effectively only partially held," while demanding refunds for entry fees and compensation for damages.
After deliberation, the commission determined that the case met the requirements for initiating class action dispute settlement procedures and decided on October 8 to launch the proceedings.
The commission plans to publicly announce this fact for 14 days through the Korea Consumer Agency website and complete the settlement decision within the period stipulated by law.
This class action dispute settlement will proceed targeting the existing 67 applicants, and no additional participant applications will be accepted.
The commission plans to have the business operator submit a compensation plan if they accept the settlement decision in the future, thereby enabling consumers who did not participate in the settlement to also receive collective compensation.
(Photo: Provided by Korea Consumer Agency, Yonhap News)
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