Kakao Mobility Faces National Audit... Apple, Google, and Other IT Giants Also Summoned

Ruling and Opposition Parties Agree on Witness Adoption for National Assembly Science and ICT Committee on the 27th

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] CEOs of domestic online platform companies such as Kakao Mobility, as well as global IT companies including Netflix and Google, were consecutively summoned to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee (STIBC) audit. The representatives of the three major mobile carriers, who were regular attendees of the STIBC, were excluded from the witness list again this year.

On the 27th, around 1:30 PM, the STIBC held a plenary session and, by bipartisan agreement, passed the "Request for Appearance of Witnesses and Reference Persons for the 2021 Audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Korea Communications Commission, and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission."

For the October 5th KCC audit, the witnesses selected were Ryu Geung-seon, CEO of Kakao Mobility; Kim Kyung-hoon, CEO of Google Korea; Jung Ki-hyun, CEO of Facebook Korea; Yoon Goo, CEO of Apple Korea; Yeon Joo-hwan, Team Leader of Netflix Services Korea; Park Dae-jun, CEO of Coupang; Kim Beom-jin, CEO of Woowa Brothers; Bae Bo-chan, CEO of Yanolja; Kim Jae-hyun, CEO of Danggeun Market; and Lee Kang-taek, President of TBS (Traffic Broadcasting). In the case of Coupang, former Chairman Kim Beom-seok was considered, but Park Dae-jun was finally selected as the representative.

On October 7th, Park Ki-moon, CEO of STX Engine, will appear as a witness for the NSSC.

On October 20th, for the Ministry of Science and ICT audit, witnesses will include Kang Jong-ryeol, Vice President of SK Telecom Infrastructure; Lee Cheol-gyu, Vice President of KT Network; and Kwon Jun-hyuk, Executive Director of LG Uplus. The three major carriers' CEOs?Park Jung-ho of SK Telecom, Koo Hyun-mo of KT, and Hwang Hyun-sik of LG Uplus?will avoid appearing as witnesses.

The comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT, originally scheduled as the first order on November 1st, has been postponed to the 20th due to delays in bipartisan discussions on witness selection. According to the National Assembly Act, requests for attendance must be delivered to witnesses and reference persons at least seven days prior to the audit.

Currently, at the request of the opposition party, there is also discussion about additionally including Lee Hae-jin, Global Investment Officer (GIO) of Naver, and Kim Beom-su, Chairman of the Kakao Board, as witnesses for the comprehensive Ministry of Science and ICT audit.

Lee Won-wook, Chairman of the STIBC, said, "The STIBC needs to fundamentally consider whether it has an understanding of platforms," and added, "Please think about how the STIBC will actively create regulations and promote the industry in the changing environment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution era going forward."

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