The Korea Communications Commission confirmed in an emergency meeting a case where a household affected by the forest fire was asked to pay a penalty when trying to cancel their internet service.
The Korea Communications Commission announced on 2nd that it held an emergency meeting with the three major telecommunications companies, KT, LG Uplus, and SK Broadband, on 1st to review the complaints from users regarding high-speed internet in special disaster areas affected by forest fires.
According to the Korea Communications Commission and the telecommunications industry, it was found that a household in the Andong area, whose house was burned down by a fire, was asked to pay a penalty by the telecom company when trying to cancel their high-speed internet contract at the end of last month.
The Korea Communications Commission requested the telecommunications companies to inform affected households that they can cancel their internet service without a penalty according to the terms and conditions when they request it, and also to prepare a plan to simplify the application process. In particular, considering the high elderly population, they requested the companies to operate dedicated consultation desks for easy access.
The Korea Communications Commission expanded the possible period for temporarily suspending telecommunications services for households in special disaster areas to a maximum of one year and mandated that if service cannot be used due to loss, transmission, or damage of residential facilities in disaster areas, the telecommunications companies reflect the previously autonomous fee exemption policy in their terms and conditions and implement it fully.
The telecommunications companies expressed their intention to quickly reflect the improvement requests from the Korea Communications Commission.