The 'Seoul Public Wi-Fi' Issue Heads to the National Assembly... Will It Be Resolved or Complicated Further?

Seoul City Proceeds with Public Wi-Fi Network Construction Using Own Network Without Telecom Carriers
Continued Controversy Over 'Illegality' by Ministry of Science and ICT
National Assembly Also Joins, Mentioning Effectiveness of 'Public Wi-Fi'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] In relation to Seoul City's public Wi-Fi network construction project, voices demanding concrete alternatives have emerged in the 21st National Assembly. Amid persistent differences of opinion between local governments and the Ministry of Science and ICT, interest is focused on whether the prolonged conflict between the two sides will be resolved as Woo Sang-ho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who has shown interest in the 'public Wi-Fi policy' since 2018, urges for countermeasures.

At the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee meeting held on the 28th, Representative Woo Sang-ho said, "The reason public Wi-Fi is not expanding is that it must use the networks of the three major telecom companies, and from the telecom companies' perspective, this can be unfair. If they have built the network but are told to provide Wi-Fi that does not allow them to use their own data, which telecom company would concede?" He pointed out the contradiction in telecom companies complaining about the cost burden of building public Wi-Fi with their own resources while opposing Seoul City's installation of its own network. He also added that there must be a clear direction regarding the design and operating entities of the public Wi-Fi policy.

Democratic Party member Byun Jae-il also mentioned, "When local governments build networks, it causes problems during maintenance, and looking at the total budget versus the operation plan, it is more expensive than outsourcing to telecom companies," adding, "This is something that needs to be comprehensively reviewed."

Currently, Seoul City is promoting the S-Net project to install 16,330 public Wi-Fi APs by 2022 independently without going through telecom companies' networks. In response, the Ministry of Science and ICT views the construction of network infrastructure by local governments without a licensed telecommunications carrier as illegal. In fact, Article 65 of the Telecommunications Business Act prohibits those who install private telecommunications facilities from mediating others' communications or operating the facilities contrary to their installation purpose. On the other hand, Seoul City is pushing forward the project citing Article 42 of the Smart City Act, which allows the use of private telecommunications facilities to provide non-profit public services.

Despite multiple meetings and official correspondences exchanging opinions, the two sides have yet to narrow their differences.

Telecom companies clearly oppose local governments building public Wi-Fi networks. An industry official stated, "Local governments directly installing telecommunications networks is essentially the logic of treating telecommunications as a 'public good,' nationalizing all networks, and attracting them as a national key industry," adding, "This poses a problem as the principle of 'competition' in the telecommunications industry disappears." Another industry insider said, "With massive investments in building network infrastructure and ongoing costs for maintenance and repair, if local governments establish private networks targeting an unspecified majority indiscriminately, management will not be efficient, and it could dampen the investment vitality of private telecom companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.