The importer of the controversial Korea King frying pan yesterday offered a public apology for discontent related to product advertising.
Wizard Solution Co Ltd, or Korea King (Thailand), said in an open letter that its advertisements were produced with information based on South Korean certifications and standards.
The company also said it would respect the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) decision to ban advertising for the pan. It added that it had suspended its ads on all television channels and was in the process of revising them “for the sake of suitability”.
“We humbly ask for your forgiveness for the lack of clarity on different aspects over the past week,” said the statement, which was addressed to “brothers and sisters, media people and all Korea King family members”.
The statement was Wizard Solution’s first official reaction to the controversy that has been widely reported in the media over the past week.
On Wednesday, the CPB said Korea King’s commercials overstated the quality of the pan relative to its price. The board found the advertised price of Bt15,000 (S$605) to Bt18,000 to be a “fake original price” since the pan was never sold at those prices after sharp discounts were introduced.
Wizard Solution also offered consumers a promotion of “buy one, get one free” at the price of Bt3,300. The wholesale price of imported Korea King pans ranged from Bt286 in 2015 to Bt358 as of January, according to a Customs Department document.
The company’s statement did not mention the gap between the wholesale and retail prices.
The company said it was confident in the South Korean-made product’s manufacturing standards and that it had provided the necessary documents from the pan producer, as requested by the CPB.
A Kasetsart University chemistry professor has found that the Korea King pan was not coated in marble as advertised.
Wizard Solution’s letter also apologised to the product’s presenter, TV celebrity Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, for the negative affects on his reputation.
Meanwhile, the Foundation for Consumers has offered to file a class action lawsuit in the name of affected Korea King buyers, secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang said on Facebook. She asked customers who would like to take legal action to contact the agency as soon as possible.
