DIFFICULTIES SURROUNDING UNMANNED STORES

[Anchor Lead]

Unmanned stores are becoming widespread in the era of non-contact services. They are often targeted by robbers, but receiving compensation is not easy even for store owners who have contracts with security companies.

[Pkg]

This is an unmanned ice cream store in Ansan. In the wee hours of the night, a man is seen entering. He takes out a long steel tool. He then proceeds to break the safe open, and in just two minutes steals 900,000 won in cash and flees the scene. The store owner pays 90,000 won a month for security services provided by ADT Caps, but they are of little help. The security firm says it can only protect the store if its doors are locked and the security alarm is running.

[Soundbite] (Owner of unmanned ice cream store) : "They say they are not responsible because I didn't lock the doors and the security alarm was off. But I run an unmanned store that needs to be kept　open around the lock."

The store owner also subscribed to a compensation insurance costing 12,000 won a month, but he is not eligible to receive any compensation.

[Soundbite] "The insurance firm says I am not eligible for damage compensation because my　store was robbed during business hours. It's non-sense. It's a joke."

The security firm says it doesn't pay for damages when the store doors are not locked and there are no traces of intrusion from the outside. But most of the owners of these unmanned stores operating 24 hours a day are unaware of this fact.

[Soundbite] (Owner of unmanned store(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I didn't know that. It would mean that I didn't need security services or an insurance."

Experts point out that security firms should provide a clear explanation of their terms and conditions to the owners of unmanned stores.

[Soundbite] Kim Kye-hwan(Lawyer) : "The store owner would have either refused to sign up for this insurance product or changed its terms and conditions had he been given a proper explanation.　The insurance company could be liable for breaching the duty of explanation."

ADT Caps said it's discussing a separate compensation with its client, who was apparently unaware of the terms and conditions in the first place.