FAULTY CLOTHES DRYERS

[Anchor Lead]

A growing number of consumers use clothes dryers these days. But complaints are surging about the automatic cleaning function of condensers in LG Electronic dryers. LG has vowed to provide a ten-year guarantee for its products by repairing them free of charge when problems arise.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] (TV COMMERCIAL FOR LG DRYERS) : "One of the strong advantages of LG Tromm dryers is their condenser automatic cleaning system."

An ad for LG clothes dryers, the leading product in the domestic market. This homemaker also purchased one, because she trusted the advertised advantages of clean condensers in LG dryers. But what she found after disassembling the dryer was shocking. The condenser was covered in dust and dirt.

[Soundbite] (CONSUMER) : "I was shocked to hear that the automatic cleaning function may not work when using small loads of laundry or when conditions are not right."

Complaints about condensers in LG dryers have surged recently. An online community of some 20,000 consumers has been created to file complaints, and even a petition was posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website. But the way LG Electronics addressed the problem is quite dumbfounding. According to some consumers, LG demanded they promise not to take images of condensers when requesting repair services.

[Soundbite] (STAFF AT LG SERVICE CENTER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "Taking images is not allowed. (How come? It's my product. How else can I post evidence?)"

This means that LG was probably aware of the technical problem in the automatic cleaning function of its dryers. As the controversy continued to spiral, LG vowed to provide a ten-year warranty for its condensers. The electronics maker added that some condensers may accumulate dust, but this does not affect their automatic cleaning performance. LG also denied telling consumers not to take images of problematic products. The Consumers Union of Korea received 29 reports related to the automatic condenser cleaning function in LG dryers in the first half of the year. Most recently, in just one week, 147 cases were reported.