Can't see how paint would affect the safety...it's the seal that keeps those waves from running around your kitchen.
But...if it's old enough to have peeling paint, maybe the seal is bad too.
Linda C

Our microwave is about 22 years old, and I really think it needs replaced. But what I wanted to say was that people should realize that when they use their microwaves, they shouldn't stand anywhere near it. Perhaps they are better made these days. About 12 years ago, our REMC wanted to use someone's house to study EMF (electro-magnetic fields) given off by various things in the house.
Our microwave was on a kitchen wall that bordered my son's room. In fact, he slept with his head just on the other side of the wall. Well guess what? The radiation readings were very high right over his pillow, when the microwave was on! Needless to say, we moved the microwave.
I am absolutely no expert, but my guess would be that the paint peeling makes it no less safe than it is now (which might not be very safe, if you're standing close to it).
You can always buy a gossmeter, or have someone from your power company come out with one and test the levels of EMF around your microwave.

The thing is, you can buy a microwave oven very inexpensively these days. Whether it's an esthetic or safety problem, why not just pick up a new one. Since they're no longer the 'state of the art' appliance they once were (the new speed-cooking, combo ovens are more upscale and pricey)--you can get a straight microwave starting at around $40 these days. I've seen small ones for even less. I don't like to take any chances when it comes to microwaving, myself. Just to be on the safe side, as soon as I noticed something like that, I'd go with a new one.

What keeps the microwaves inside the oven isn't a seal. It is the mesh screen in the door window.

is there a safe paint one can use? inside the microwave the corner's ect

We have a GE Microwave,the back of the door,on the inside is starting to peel ,can this be repainted ,and what type of paint.

my microwave is only 2years old it is a Korean made daewoo and I can't get a response from the company and since it is only 2years old I think it is defective ? my old microwave was a Sears (US MADE) and lasted 15 years , no prblem ?