Government: "99% of Internet and Phone Outages Resolved... Cooperation and Support with Telecom Companies"

Ministry of Science and ICT Announcement as of 8 AM on the 7th
Radio Usage Fees and Communication Charges Reduced for Residents of Uljin and Samcheok
Paid Broadcasting Fee Reductions Also Under Discussion with Telecom Companies

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Although a large wildfire in Donghae, Gangwon Province caused internet and telephone outages in some areas, 99% of the damaged communication facilities have been restored through emergency repairs. Residents of Uljin County, Gyeongbuk, and Samcheok City, Gangwon, will receive reductions in radio usage fees and communication charges following the declaration of a 'special disaster area.'

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 7th at 8 a.m. (cumulative) that there were damage cases involving 305 mobile communication base stations, 1,067 wired internet lines, and 3,671 cable TV lines, but 99% have been normalized through emergency restoration by broadcasting and communication operators.

The Ministry of Science and ICT has been checking the activation of emergency response systems by operators for rapid restoration of damaged facilities since the afternoon of the 4th. On the 5th, as the wildfire expanded to the Gangwon area, emergency restoration and emergency response were strengthened, and communication convenience support for evacuation facilities was also expanded. As of the 6th, a total of 676 personnel were deployed for on-site restoration, including 248 from KT, 148 from SK Telecom, and 280 from LG Uplus.

Broadcasting and communication facilities have been restored up to 99% of the total 6,769 damage cases as of 8 a.m. on the 7th by reinstalling or rerouting cables destroyed in areas where the wildfire has been extinguished and replacing mobile communication base station equipment. Ten base stations that have not been restored were completely destroyed, and restoration is expected to take time. The government is mobilizing spare equipment from operators and laying new communication and power lines to assist rapid restoration.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the four major telecom companies have also increased support for 19 evacuation facilities, including the Uljin National Sports Center. Measures are being taken to support residents' communication convenience, such as Wi-Fi, IPTV, wired telephone and internet support, A/S vehicles, charging facilities, and chargers.

Minister Lim Hye-sook of the Ministry of Science and ICT stated, “We plan to maintain an emergency preparedness posture in cooperation with operators until the wildfires in Gangwon and Uljin areas are completely extinguished to ensure that residents in the affected areas do not experience inconvenience in using broadcasting and communication services.” She added, “With Uljin County, Gyeongbuk, and Samcheok City, Gangwon, being declared as 'special disaster areas' first, we will collaborate with related ministries to reduce radio usage fees and communication charges, and also consult with operators on reducing paid broadcasting fees to promptly prepare follow-up support measures.”

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