Ministry of Science and ICT, Broadcasting, Media and Communications Committee: "AI Application Reduces Illegal Spam"... Public-Private Council Plenary Meeting

"Prompt Implementation of the Sender Qualification Certification System"

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Committee announced on April 14 in Seoul that they held the 5th plenary meeting of the Public-Private Council on Countermeasures against Illegal Spam to discuss the current status of the comprehensive response plan and directions for improvement.

The meeting was co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Committee, and attended by more than 30 participants, including officials from relevant ministries such as the Personal Information Protection Commission and the National Police Agency, specialized organizations such as the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), mobile carriers such as KT, LG Uplus, and SK Telecom, device manufacturers, and bulk messaging service providers.

The Ministry of Science and ICT presented updates on the introduction of a number-blocking system that can fundamentally prevent text messages from being sent using invalid numbers, additional improvement measures to block illegal spam originating from overseas, and improvements to verification procedures for communications usage certificates to authenticate the identity of bulk message senders.

The Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA) explained that with the implementation of the "Invalid Number Blocking System for Illegal Spam" in the first half of this year, spam senders will be prevented in advance from using invalid numbers (such as unallocated or suspended numbers that are not currently in use), leading to a further decrease in the number of spam reports.

Choi Woo-hyuk, policy chief of network policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "Since the announcement of the comprehensive response plan, the number of spam reports has dropped significantly thanks to the efforts of relevant agencies and telecom operators participating in the public-private council, such as applying new technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and complying with the 'Guidelines for Blocking Bulk Messages Originating from Overseas' by international message relay operators." He added, "We will further strengthen public-private cooperation to ensure that the ongoing initiatives are carried out without setbacks."

Shin Young-kyu, Director General of Broadcasting and Telecommunications User Policy at the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Committee, added, "We will promptly implement the sender qualification certification system to normalize the bulk messaging market and accelerate the enactment and revision of subordinate regulations necessary for imposing fines related to illegal spam."

The Public-Private Council on Countermeasures against Illegal Spam was launched in December 2024 to strengthen cooperation and collaboration between government agencies and private businesses in responding to illegal spam.

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