<Anchor> This is a
friendly economic time. Reporter Kim Hye-min is here. It is said that these days, there is a lot of talk about certain brands of kimchi refrigerators.
<Reporter> This
is a kimchi refrigerator from Winia Dimchae. If any of you who are watching this show have a Winia Dimchae kimchi refrigerator manufactured before September 2005, please apply for a recall.
In the last five years, there have been over 1,200 cases of fires in old kimchi refrigerators. There was a fire about once every two days.
Because there were so many fires, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced a recall in December last year. The total number of products is 2.78 million units.
By August of this year, only about half of them had not been recovered. So, until the 24th of this month, local governments across the country are even conducting a 'recall kimchi refrigerator search campaign'.
<Anchor>
The refrigerator subject to the recall is the Winia Dimchae refrigerator manufactured before September 2005, right? Why are there so many fires in this refrigerator?
<Reporter>
First of all, the biggest reason is that Winia Dimchae Kimchi Refrigerator is selling the most.
Among the kimchi refrigerator brands, Winia has been holding the No. 1 market share for 26 years, so the probability of a fire occurring while using this model is increasing.
In addition, the recommended period of use is shorter than expected. The normal use period stipulated by the Fair Trade Commission is only 7 years, and models that exceed this limit increase the risk of fire as internal parts become short-circuited as the product ages.
But these days, home appliances are so popular that there is a strong perception that they can be used for more than 10 years rather than 7 years. Many households have been using it for a long time without any doubt.
This is the first time I've also learned that the recommended period of use for
<Anchor>
is 7 years. Then, if you could explain in a little more detail which products are subject to the recall, I think our viewers will be helpful.
<Reporter>
Kimchi refrigerators are now very similar to regular refrigerators. However, this model was a little different. Let me show you an example picture.
As you can see now, most are lid-type products that open from above, but the industry considers these lid-type products to be vulnerable to fire.
Because it leaves space on top, there are a lot of cases where you put heavy objects or pots on it. So it is said to be the cause of the defect.
In fact, Winia has been recalling voluntarily since 2015, but it is said that the recall is being delayed because it has been sold for a long time, so the customer's phone number has changed, and the sales history cannot be found.
In addition, since the customers who bought dimchae at the time are elderly people in their 60s or 70s, it is difficult to easily access recall information.
Currently, when electric and gas safety inspectors from all over the country visit homes and inspect, if there is this kimchi refrigerator, they report it to the company immediately. The government plans to publicize the recall on electricity bills in the future.
<Anchor> As
we just showed you, there is an old refrigerator for kimchi that opens upwards, and there is a kimchi refrigerator. I'll double check, me too. If I check it and find that it is old, where and how do I apply for a recall?
<Reporter>
First, you need to check the model name of the kimchi refrigerator. We'll also show you where you can find them here.
If you find a sticker with an energy efficiency rating, the model name is written here.
And there is no need to go to the manufacturer's website, just search for 'Winia Dimchae Recall' on the portal and you will see a web page where you can apply for a recall right away.
Enter the confirmed model name here, and fill in some personal information to complete the application immediately. Then the manufacturer collects the old parts free of charge and even replaces them.
"My house's kimchi refrigerator was produced after September 2005, but I'm worried about a fire since it's been 10 years since I bought it." Some of you may think this way.
For such people, use the kimchi refrigerator at least 10cm away from the wall. The back of the refrigerator needs to be removed frequently to avoid accumulating dust or foreign matter.