In the user protection work assessment conducted for telecommunications service providers such as telecom, app markets, and platforms, SK Telecom received a very good rating. Netflix and Meta received the lowest rating of insufficient.
The Korea Communications Commission held a general meeting on the 19th and approved the '2024 user protection work evaluation results for telecommunications service providers.' The evaluation was conducted for a total of 46 service providers across 13 service sectors including basic communication and value-added communication, taking into account the size of users and the level of complaints throughout 2023.
Telecommunications service providers in sectors such as mobile communications, high-speed internet, budget phones, app markets, search services, online social networks (SNS), online video services (OTT), shopping, delivery, and secondhand transactions were subject to evaluation. The evaluation criteria included the appropriateness of the user protection work management system, compliance with relevant laws, prevention of harm activities, handling of user opinions and complaints, and other matters related to user protection work.
In the basic telecommunications mobile communications sector, SK Telecom received a very good rating. KT and LG Uplus (down 1 rating from the previous year) received a good rating. In the basic telecommunications high-speed internet sector, five service providers, including SK Telecom, LG Uplus, KT (up 1 rating from the previous year), HCN (up 1 rating from the previous year), and SK Broadband, received a very good rating. D'Live (down 1 rating from the previous year) and LG HelloVision received a good rating, while CMB received a satisfactory rating.
In the budget phone sector, very good ratings were awarded to Korea Cable Telecom, SK Telink, and LG HelloVision. Naver recorded a very good rating in the shopping sector. There were no very good ratings in other sectors.
In the value-added communication app market sector, Samsung Electronics, ONE store, and Google (up 1 rating from the previous year) all received a good rating. Apple, which had consistently received an insufficient rating, was evaluated with a satisfactory rating, an increase of two levels compared to before.
The most serious sector is OTT. Google YouTube, along with Wave and SOOP, received an average rating, with Netflix dropping to an inadequate rating, one grade lower than the previous year. Meta in the online social networks (SNS) sector was analyzed as inadequate this year, continuing last year's rating.
Among the new service providers included in this evaluation, Kakao Mobility and Carrot received good ratings due to their active participation in the trial evaluation period, thorough submission of materials, and high understanding of user protection work evaluation, while KT Skylife and Free Telecom recorded inadequate ratings.
In the assessment conducted on a total score of 1,000 points, the overall average for service providers was 886.7 points, an increase of 9.2 points compared to the previous year. The Korea Communications Commission explained that this was due to improvements in the user protection work management system, such as enhancements to the user complaint handling system, and efforts to prevent harm to vulnerable groups.
Lee Jin-sook, chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, said, 'While most service providers are strengthening their user protection policies, there are still providers that remain in the inadequate stage,' and added, 'We will strive to improve the overall level of user protection through encouragement of professional consulting for inadequate providers and strengthening on-site evaluations.'