Bidirectional opening/closing door unit and refrigerator having the same

A refrigerator including a body in which items are cooled and a door unit provided to open or close the body thereof, the refrigerator comprising:

• hinges protruding from left and right sides of the body;
• a fixing plate having hinge holes defined therein and providing for insertion of the respective hinges;
• a pair of opening/closing structures provided at opposite sides of the fixing plate to detachably couple the hinges;
• and
• an operative connector spaced apart from the pair of opening/closing structures by a predetermined distance, the operative connector being movable by a pressure force applied by one of the pair of opening/closing structures such that movement of the other of the opening/closing structures is limited by movement of the operative connector.

A refrigerator, comprising:

• a body storing items to be cooled;
• a door attached to the body to open or close the body;
• and
• at least one opening/closing device disposed at a top or a bottom of the door, the opening/closing device allowing the door to be selectively opened in a leftward or rightward direction, the at least one opening/closing device including a pair of latches and an operative connector disposed between the pair of latches, one of the pair of latches contacting the operative connector to pressure the operative connector when the door is selectively opened in a leftward or rightward direction.