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With the rapid development of the digital society, academic disciplines, especially interdisciplinary disciplines, are faced with the challenge of merging and converging. This study aims to re-establish the academic identity of consumer science, and to strengthen its position as an independent academic discipline that is on its path of development in order to open a new horizon. This study is arranged in three parts. In the first part, the history of development, the current status and the future direction and challenges of Consumer Science as an academic discipline are reviewed and discussed. In the second part, “Consumerism” is re-conceptualized as the ideology and foundation of Consumer Science, and the concept of New Consumerism is discussed. In the third part, attitudes of consumer researchers and approaches needed to expand Consumer Research, are discussed and new directions for future research are suggested.

As consumers’ concern for well-being increase, the sales of bottled water has been growing at a fast rate recently. At the same time, the question of whether consumers are making decisions about bottled water consumption on adequate and accurate information remains unanswered. This paper attempted to analyze U.S. consumers’ knowledge and perception about bottled water in respect to information provided on bottled water labels. Results suggest that consumers are making decisions when purchasing bottled water on less than adequate information

The purpose of this research is to examine consumer education given by local governments and consumer protection organizations in Jeju. These results may supply basis data to establish consumer education program. The results are same as following. First, person who was in charge of consumer business in local governments was public official 1 person. The ration of consumer business that he did was 5% to 10%. Only Chejudo executed consumer education. Seogwiposi, Namjejugun and Bukjejugun did not execute consumer education Second, consumer education budget of consumer protection organization which had the most consumer education budget was less than ten million won. And consumer protection organizations had consumer education lecturer of 1-2 person. They was condition that lecturer who can educate consumer was lacking. They mainly enforced consumer education for child and teenagers, and housewife. Time that educate them was weekday morning or the afternoon and the period was 2 or 1 day. Consumer education was enforced to short term education. Consumer education was executed by content about consumer right or consumption environment change. The consumer protection organizations mainly imparted consumers public information on consumer education to consumers through mass communication. They did not secured an ample budget for consumer education.

The implication of consumer policy is vital as it directly links to enhancing public welfare through ensuring consumers’ rights and interests, and strengthening the competitiveness of an enterprise and nation. This paper has three primary goals: (1) To define the concept of consumer policy in terms of national policy (2) To explore the objective and scope of consumer policy (3) To classify the consumer policy by subject or by characteristics. In addition, this paper will consider the status of consumer policy centering on central and local governments and the Korea Consumer Protection Board (KCPB). The status of consumer policy researches by the government, KCPB and the Korean Society of Consumer Studies will also be examined based on study reports, researches and individual papers. Chapter Ⅳ touches upon the proposal for consumer policy research through pinpointing key issues: (1) Proposing the need to expand the scope of research (2) Underlining the need for analysis and evaluation of consumer policy (3) Suggesting a role for consumer policy researchers.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the leisure consumption life trend for last 10 years and to suggest the policy plan through analytical results. For this purpose, the 77 theses were classified with these objects- adults, workers, aged people, university students and primary, middle, high school students. These result were as follows. As the expansion of well-being culture, every object has prefered to active leisure like sports and those leisure satisfaction also occurred high. For expansion of leisure time by 5-working days per week system, leisure type through experience enjoying family has increased. But the insufficient of leisure facilities and programs occurred as a most restriction factor. As above results to suggest the leisure policy plan First, We will need diversity leisure programs for various of consumer needs. Second, We should supply low-cost leisure facilities to enjoy the leisure through experience like traveling and sports. Third, To activate leisure in the company, the employers need translation of awareness thinking leisure as an investment to support their employee's welfare. Finally, We are urgent a systematic school eduction for leisure and investment for school leisure facilities. Also we should find using plan for various school facilities.

Today information and communication industry is making rapid progress. Passing first and second generation, third generation of information and communication services has been supplied. Consequently life environments of consumers using information and communication services have been changed suddenly. Futhermore new levels of information and communication equipments are supposed to be supplied generally in the near future. In this circumstances, information and communication revolution will renew our life and create new life cultures. However burdens and benefit imbalances of consumers are going to be the point of issue in new information and communication society. And consumers who cannot adapt to the change of market are unable to consume rationally. Therefore various social problems would be occurred. In this background researchers investigated the development plan of consumer protect system in information and communication society. First market situation related to changes in information and communication market is inspected. Further this report checked principal consumer policy and suggested plan to guarantee benefits of consumers. Especially this research suggested direction of policy connected to preparation of law, reformation of administration system and reformation of damage remedy system. Concretely suggested needs and plans to enact Act of protection of information and communication consumer. Also suggested programs to reform administration system like organization of information and communication department.

Labeling and advertising laws provide information to consumers and possess significant power in the market. Throughout this thesis, the amendment process and status of labeling and advertising law is discussed, followed by an analysis of issues in labeling and advertising laws. The purpose of this study, which focuses specifically on the most representative law among labeling and advertising related laws which is the “Fair Labeling and Advertising Act,” is to identify problems concerning the Act and suggest a direction for amendment. The current “Fair Labeling and Advertising Act” does not reflect new concepts that have emerged on labeling, advertising or consumers from changes in time. In addition, laws applicable to labeling and advertising are treated within the same law, making it difficult to serve as an effective regulatory mechanism. Therefore, the regulatory policy should be amended by redefining the concept of labeling, advertising and consumers, separating labeling law from advertising law, jointly announcing important consumer information, rationalizing regulatory structure and accelerating information provision to customers.

The years 2004-2005 saw some landmark developments in the nation’s legal framework for consumer protection policy. These legislative initiatives were designed to secure effective measures for protecting consumer rights in the face of radical changes brought about by the rapid spread of undue electronic commerce transactions and unfair adhesion contracts, etc. The Adhesion Contracts Act was revised to prevent consumer damage caused by Unfair Adhesion Contracts. The new standard adhesion contract regulation system was introduced to prevent use of any adhesion contract containing unfair terms and conditions. The Consumer Protection Act on Electronic Transaction, etc was revised to prevent consumer damage caused unduc electronic commerce transactions. The payment escrow system and Do-not-Call system will be introduced to prevent consumer damage caused by prepaid distant selling and internet fraud. And the Korean Consumer Policy will undergo major changes. According to the ‘Mid-to-Long Term Road Map on Consumer Policy’ of the Ministry of Finance & Economy (MOFE), the Consumer Protection Act will change to the Consumer Fundamental Law (tentative name). Also the Consumer Class Action Lawsuit will go into effect.