"Frustrating 5G, Pay the Fees" 82 Complaints Received by the Korea Communications Commission

"5G Signal Not Available" 82 Quality Complaints
Broadcasting Commission to Operate Telecommunications Dispute Mediation Team

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Complaints submitted to the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) citing "5G not working, so it cannot be used" have reached 82 cases in the first half of this year.

According to the KCC on the 19th, the number of disputes related to 5G quality recorded 82 cases in the first half of this year (January to June). This is a significant increase compared to 5 cases in the second half of last year. The complainants include subscribers of SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, who claim, "Although we subscribed to 5G, the service frequently disconnects and cannot be used properly," demanding LTE switching without penalty fees, refunds, and compensation for damages.

As disputes related to 5G quality continue to rise, the KCC decided to separate and operate a dedicated organization. The dispute mediation tasks, previously handled by the User Policy Division, will now be professionally managed by the "Telecommunications Dispute Mediation Team." This team will handle ▲dispute mediation and pre-mediation agreements, ▲processing of adjudication cases and monitoring compliance, ▲formation and operation of expert advisory groups related to disputes, and ▲prevention of disputes and public awareness campaigns.

Additionally, to ensure prompt and consistent handling of the increasing disputes regarding 5G service inconveniences, a "Special Subcommittee" will be formed and operated to conduct field inspections and gather opinions. Han Sang-hyuk, Chairman of the KCC, stated, "By operating a dedicated telecommunications dispute mediation department, we expect to enhance the expertise and fairness in resolving dispute cases. We will also strengthen on-site inspections of dispute cases to provide one-stop solutions for telecommunications inconveniences and complaints, greatly contributing to the protection of user rights."

Meanwhile, the three major telecom companies expect to complete nationwide 5G network construction by 2022. As of the end of June, the number of 5G subscribers in South Korea was recorded at 7,370,015.