US Deputy Secretary of State Meets Google and Netflix... Mentions 'Net Neutrality'

Jose Fernandez, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] Jose Fernandez, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, met with representatives from Google Korea and Netflix Korea during his visit to discuss the Korean market, regulations, and net neutrality.

On the 12th, Deputy Secretary Fernandez stated on his Twitter, "I met with U.S. content providers Netflix, the Motion Picture Association, and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) to explore ways to deliver excellent content to viewers in Korea and worldwide."

It is reported that net neutrality was also discussed during the meeting. Deputy Secretary Fernandez emphasized, "Net neutrality is essential to ensure that we can all enjoy content whenever and however we want."

Net neutrality is the principle that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must transmit all content equally, regardless of the content’s nature or type.

Recently, voices have emerged mainly from domestic political circles and telecommunications companies demanding that Content Providers (CPs) pay ISPs for network usage fees. Currently, seven amendments to the Telecommunications Business Act related to network usage fee contracts are pending in the National Assembly. This statement is interpreted as a critique of such circumstances.

Deputy Secretary Fernandez also mentioned his meeting with Google Korea. He said, "I met with Harrison Kim (Kim Kyung-hoon), CEO of Google Korea, to discuss Korea’s global business opportunities and how technology and smart regulations can play a role in promoting innovation, jobs, and growth."

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