Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Watchdog may fine carriers over marketing
By Bahk Eun-ji
The nation’s telecom watchdog said Sunday it may punish Korea’s top three mobile carriers ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus ― for alleged illegal activities used to entice customers to buy bundles ― high-speed wireless or wired Internet and television services.
“We will call executives of the three companies into the commission to discuss the overheated market and organize inspection groups if it’s needed,” a Korea Communications Commission (KCC) official said.
The decision came after illegal subsidies of about 300,000 won were given to retail stores for each customer who chose a combined bill plan for a high-speed Internet, smartphone and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) bundle.
Some retail stores claim they pay only 900 won a month for the bundle.
According to telecom law, the subsidy for high-speed Internet is a maximum 190,000 won. If a customer chooses a bill plan that combines the Internet and Internet home phone or IPTV, he or she can be given a subsidy of up to 220,000 won.
If a customer chooses all three products, telecom companies can offer a maximum 250,000 won.
“When it comes to illegal subsides for a combined bill, some of them are provided by the mobile carriers but some are offered by the company’s retail outlets,” the KCC official said. “The regulation needs to be tightened further.”
Meanwhile, the KCC set up a task force to crack down on the illegal combined bill plans and has had its first meeting about toughening the regulations.