LG has cancelled all further planned promotional events of its latest flagship smartphone, G2, after 20 consumers were injured during an attempt to grab a free handset.
The LG G2 promotional event was more like a war zone where people showed up with BB guns, knives tied at the end of the sticks and other tools. This was not with the intent to harm anyone but to grab a chance to win a free G2 smartphone. LG, world's third largest samrtphone manufacturer, conducted an event themed "G IN THE CLOUD," at an outdoor park in Seoul, Friday, where 100 helium balloons were released with each balloon carrying a free smartphone voucher.
The event did not turn out as planned by the mobile maker. "Some were using BB guns to shoot the balloons. As far as I know, there were only some 20 security guards. LG should have placed more security personnel as the event was already promoted via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and leading local portals. Some of the injured were hospitalized," a blogger who was in the crowd wrote, according to a report in Korea Times.
Since the event turned out to be a disaster, LG has canceled all its future promotional events in the wake of the incident. Moreover, the company said that it would cover the medical costs of all 20 injured victims.
"We will provide them with proper medical treatment as we are responsible for the event," LG said in a statement.
"We canceled events offering free G2 smartphones that had been scheduled in major cities nationwide, including Busan, due to safety concerns."
The LG G2 smartphone was released in New York last week. The smartphone features an attractive, sleek look with a wide 5.2-inch display. The phone is the first to have no side buttons, which are placed at the back. As it runs on the latest Android, the device features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. The G2 will hit the store shelves across the globe with more than 130 carriers in the coming months. The smartphone is priced around $850 without contract.
