Free mobile phone charge for Sewol ferry victims, families

By Jeong Ji-su

Sewol ferry tragedy’s victims and families will be exempt from their mobile phone charges for April and May.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and the three major mobile carriers ― KT, LG U+ and SK Telecom ― announced the plan Thursday.

Sewol ferry’s passengers and related families are eligible for this aid. However, the inclusion of the crew members is still under debate because of moral issues.

All Sewol ferry’s passengers and families will be exempt from their mobile phone charges for April and May. In the case of passengers, they will get exempt from the cancellation charges they get when they break contracts, and also exempt from the mobile phone’s leftover monthly installments.

Passengers are also guaranteed a free change of mobile devices if their phones were damaged or lost.

The recipients will automatically get this service as soon as the three major mobile carriers are planning to get the list of the passengers and bereaved families from related organizations.