Specific Criteria for Penalties on Violation of Dantongbeop to Be Implemented... Expected as Early as March Next Year

Increase Cooperation in Investigations and Promote Voluntary Regulation

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] The government will revise the detailed criteria for imposing fines to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions related to the Device Distribution Act. After collecting opinions and undergoing government review and resolution processes, the revisions are expected to be implemented as early as March next year.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) held a plenary meeting on the 21st and received a report on the amendment to the notification of fine imposition criteria for violations of the Device Distribution Act.

The amendment includes a provision to specify the method of "active cooperation" for a reduction of up to 20%, such as submitting materials or statements that help recognize facts and determine illegality. Additionally, the maximum reduction limit will be set differentially according to the degree of cooperation in investigations to encourage cooperation from telecom companies and distribution networks.

Regarding the clause on "up to 10% reduction for introducing and operating education programs for voluntary compliance," the amendment sets differential reduction ceilings based on the content and effectiveness of voluntary compliance, especially when the deterrent effect on violations is high or significant. This aims to enhance the effectiveness of telecom companies' self-regulation.

Finally, the provision for "up to 30% reduction for taking necessary measures to prevent recurrence of violations" sets the reduction ceiling differentially at 10%, 20%, or 30% depending on the effectiveness of recurrence prevention measures. This is intended to improve the effectiveness of preventing repeated violations.

Kim Jae-cheol, Director of the User Policy Bureau at the KCC, stated, "With this amendment, the criteria for fines related to violations of the Device Distribution Act will be applied more strictly in the future, which is expected to reduce repeated violations and increase the reliability of sanctions."

This amendment will undergo an opinion collection process through administrative notice. After review by the Regulatory Reform Committee and the Ministry of Government Legislation, and resolution by the KCC plenary meeting, it is expected to be implemented as early as March next year.

Meanwhile, at the same plenary meeting, corrective orders were deliberated and resolved for four terrestrial broadcasters?KBS, MBC, SBS, and Gwangju Broadcasting?that violated re-licensing conditions.

KBS, MBC, and SBS, which violated sponsorship notification conditions, were ordered to submit improvement plans within one month from the date of notification of the corrective order. MBC, which failed to implement its UHD content investment plan, was required to execute the unfulfilled portion from 2021 by the end of 2024. Gwangju Broadcasting, which did not appoint independent outside directors, was ordered to appoint multiple independent outside directors by April next year as a corrective measure.

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