Jo Incheol: "Telecommunications and Data Infrastructure Are the Foundation of the AI Industry"

Meeting Held at National Assembly to Hear Telecommunications Industry Issues
Challenges Shared Including Network Usage Fees and Opening of Public Data

Jo Incheol, a member of the Democratic Party, held an "Information and Communication Industry Issues Listening Meeting" with major domestic telecommunications operators at the National Assembly on the 24th, listening to the industry's demands for regulatory improvements. Photo by Jo Incheol's office

Jo Incheol, a member of the Democratic Party representing Gwangju Seo-gu Gap, announced on the 25th that he held an "Information and Communication Industry Issues Listening Meeting" with major domestic telecommunications operators at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 24th, where he listened to the industry's demands for regulatory improvements.

The meeting was hosted by Representative Jo and co-organized by the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA). The KTOA is an association of 10 telecommunications operators, including SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, and serves as the industry's leading organization for policy proposals and regulatory improvements in the telecommunications sector.

The meeting focused on the strategic role that the telecommunications industry must play in the era of AI and the need for policy and regulatory improvements to support this role. Practical on-site issues raised included the network usage fee problem due to the spread of OTT services, support for data center transformation, the double burden of greenhouse gas emission permits, and the expansion of tax credits for AI investments. The industry also shared challenges regarding the procurement of GPUs, the opening of public data, the establishment of Korean-style AI training data, and restrictions related to copyright and utilization.

At the meeting, the KTOA emphasized the need for a shift in telecommunications policy to match the era of AI infrastructure and called for active action by the National Assembly.

Representative Jo stated, "For the AI industry to develop, the telecommunications and data infrastructure that forms its foundation must be robust. However, many of the systems supporting these areas are outdated or lacking. Based on today's discussions, I will begin legislative and policy design efforts that the private sector can tangibly experience."

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