[Interview] "Can't Abandon 011, 017 Numbers... Will File Another Constitutional Lawsuit"

010 Integrated Opposition Movement Headquarters Protest at Sejong Government Complex on 31st
"Request to Allow Continued Use of 011 and 017 from the Perspective of Autonomous Choice"

SK Telecom's 2G service using the mobile phone prefixes 011 and 017 ended at midnight on the 27th. It has been 25 years since SK Telecom started its 2G service. A related notice is posted at an SKT store in downtown Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] SK Telecom's 2G service, which started with 011 and 017, ended on the 27th after 25 years. However, user opposition remains strong. Users who cannot give up their 011 and 017 numbers due to the 2G service termination are holding a protest today (31st) at the main gate of the Ministry of Science and ICT in Sejong Special Self-Governing City, demanding to "be allowed to continue using 01X numbers." They plan to appeal, saying, "Please allow us to continue using the numbers we have been using as a matter of choice." Their argument is that the fundamental purpose of the '010 Integration Policy' promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT since 2002 is fundamentally flawed.

Shin Dae-yong, manager of the Naver cafe '010 Integration Opposition Movement Headquarters,' said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "We will file a constitutional complaint again," adding, "Our demand is to be allowed to continue using the numbers we have been using." Currently, about 37,000 people are members of this cafe.

Below is a Q&A with manager Shin Dae-yong.

-What are the specific demands in today's protest?

▲Even if 2G ends, we want to be able to continue using the 01X numbers we have been using on 3G, LTE, and 5G services. We are not opposing the termination of 2G. We accept the end of 2G but want the 'temporary number portability' period used on these devices to be extended so that the numbers can be retained. Using the same number does not cost more money or cause technical problems. The government is blocking the use of 01X numbers based on the '010 Integration Policy.' We believe the 010 Integration Policy is a flawed policy.

-What is the basis for opposing the 010 Integration Policy?

▲We agree with the policy intent of the Ministry of Science and ICT in 2002 to unify 010 numbers for the sake of 'number branding.' However, we think it was wrong from the start for the government to assign different numbers to each carrier (SK Telecom 011, KT 016, etc.). Also, in 2004, the 'Number Portability Act' was passed, allowing number portability regardless of the carrier, and the concept of number branding disappeared. So why should people who subscribed to 01X numbers before that be forced to integrate into 010? We are asserting number portability based on the 'Number Portability Act.'

-What is the status of the lawsuit?

▲We plan to file a constitutional complaint again. The core basis is 'autonomous choice.' In the 2013 constitutional complaint, the court ruled that numbers are not property rights or a person's identity. However, with the amendment of the Personal Information Protection Act, there is now a possibility that mobile phone numbers can be regarded as equivalent to a person's name. The number portability lawsuit against SK Telecom is currently under appeal to the Supreme Court.

-Some view this as a demand for special privileges or hoarding numbers. What do you say?

▲The claim that we are seeking special privileges is nonsense. We have never based our claim on property rights nor have we filed for damages. We are confident in that. We purely want to keep the numbers we have been using and be allowed to port them.

-Numbers are also managed by the government as 'national resources.'

▲We acknowledge that they are national resources. But this is not an emergency situation now. There are no technical problems. We believe this is an issue that requires respect for choice and diversity.

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