[THE INVESTOR] US tech giant Apple is set to be grilled at a parliamentary audit next week over its below-par after-sales service policies in South Korea.

The Future Planning, Science, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, an IT policy watchdog under the National Assembly, said that Richard Yoon, the head of Apple Korea, will attend the audit scheduled for Sept. 26.

It will be the second time that Yoon will participate in the parliamentary audit session. He was questioned at a 2015 audit over Apple’s A/S policies, which are often considered substandard here.



iPhone users have frequently complained of Apple’s relatively poor customer services over years.

When an iPhone is damaged or malfunctions, Apple does not change the faulty parts of the handset, but offers customers a refurbished product for which customers have to pay around 400,000 won (US$362.80) -- a practice that the California-based firm has been deploying for years.

In addition, customers cannot cancel repair requests and receive their original devices back when damaged iPhones undergo Apple’s diagnostic tests.

In this case, Apple also offers refurbished iPhone handsets, instead of repairing consumers’ faulty devices.

Apple ranked lowest in the satisfaction level of after-sales services among three smartphone makers, including LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics, according to a report by research firm Consumer Insight in August.

LG and Samsung scored 781 points and 768 points, while Apple attained 651 points.

The average cost for after-sales services of Apple products, at 219,000 won, was almost double that of LG and Samsung products, according to the report.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)