European Home Appliances Still Expensive After FTA

It has been almost a year since the Korea-EU free trade agreement went into effect last July but some Korean consumers complain they have yet to see prices come down at the checkout.

A report released on Sunday shows that popular frying pans imported from countries like Germany and France still sell for more than W300,000 (US$1=W1,183) apiece, despite the removal of an 8 percent tariff. Consumers blame distributors for being reluctant to give up their high retail margins.

The report suggests consumers compare prices thoroughly before making a purchase, saying that online shopping malls -- which directly import the goods from Europe -- tend to offer greater bargains.