[2021 National Audit] Han Sang-hyuk: "Will Establish Subordinate Legislation for the In-App Payment Mandate Ban Law"

Hansanghyuk, Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, is attending the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission held on the 5th, and is reporting on his duties. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Sang-hyuk Han, Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, stated, “We will promptly revise the subordinate statutes of the amended Telecommunications Business Act, which prohibits app market operators from forcing in-app payments, and ensure its smooth implementation.”

At the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee’s audit of the Korea Communications Commission on the 5th, Chairman Han said, “We will expand the scope of inspections and specify the inspection contents in accordance with the newly established prohibited acts, and establish and promote a plan to inspect the overall app market ecosystem.”

Furthermore, to respond to changes in the media environment, he announced plans to legalize the concept of 'audiovisual media services' and establish a regulatory and support system for media. Obligations for technical and management measures targeting operators to prevent the online distribution of illegal filming materials are also being prepared. Chairman Han said, “We have established the ‘Broadcast Market Revitalization Policy Plan’ to resolve outdated regulations in the broadcasting sector and enhance market vitality. We will legalize the concept of audiovisual media services, including broadcasting and online video services (OTT), to create a regulatory and support system suitable for the changing media environment.”

In addition, tasks to respond to false and manipulated information and digital illegal harmful content will be pursued. Chairman Han stated, “To proactively respond to the spread of fake news about COVID-19 vaccines, we established the ‘Comprehensive Measures to Counter Fake News Related to COVID-19 Vaccines’ last February. We provide standard technologies and databases used for filtering digital sexual crime materials, and are preparing criteria for the technical and managerial obligations imposed on operators to prevent the distribution of illegal filming materials.” He added that efforts have also been made to expand ‘Cyber Safe Zones’ to prevent smartphone overdependence among youth and to introduce dark web blocking functions.

Moreover, the Korea Communications Commission plans to expand public broadcasting services and build a digital inclusive society. Chairman Han said, “We are newly establishing the public responsibility of broadcasting suitable for the media convergence era and preparing licensing and evaluation systems reflecting the characteristics of each medium. To respond efficiently to disaster situations, we have established the ‘Comprehensive Plan to Strengthen Disaster Broadcasting’ and built the ‘Disaster Broadcasting Comprehensive Situation Room.’” To build a digital inclusive society, a ‘Telecommunications Dispute Mediation Support System’ has been established to allow dispute mediation and damage relief applications to be made at once, and the ‘Comprehensive Plan to Strengthen Digital Media Communication Competency,’ jointly established by multiple ministries, is being implemented.

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