Apple South Korea Now Replacing Defective Products with New Units

Apple revised its product replacement policy in South Korea by doing away with refurbished products and giving customers new  gear instead for defective units. The change brings Apple inline with local laws, and expands on changes the company made to its defect product replacement policy last year.

Apple's exchange policy in South Korea now covers everything except the iMacApple’s exchange policy in South Korea now covers everything except the iMac

Apple began replacing defective iPhones in South Korea last September with new units instead of refurbished following an investigation into the company’s policies. This new policy change, according to The Korea Herald, extends to all of Apple’s products except for the iMac.

The 2011 investigation stemmed from consumer complaints that Apple was replacing defective iPhones with refurbished units when the company’s terms said that a new unit was a replacement option, too. South Korean officials summoned Apple senior director of iPhone and iPod services, Farrel Farhoudi, to testify in the matter.

Apple’s new return and exchange policy in the country says customers can get defective products exchanged for new units within 30 days of purchase, and that they’re eligible for new replacement units after the 30 day window if the defect is clearly a manufacturer’s issue.

South Korean officials are now calling Apple’s local exchange policy the best in the world.