"Smartphone Subscription Issues for Disabled People Must Be Resolved by the National Assembly" Discussion Forum to Be Held Tomorrow

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] A forum to eradicate damages caused by smartphone subscriptions for people with disabilities will be held at the National Assembly. This measure comes in response to recent illegal activities where communication devices are repeatedly subscribed to within a short period targeting people with disabilities, or tablet PCs are bundled and sold, causing financial and psychological harm.

On the 27th, Kim Sang-hee, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, announced that the "National Assembly Forum to Eradicate Damages from Smartphone Subscriptions for People with Disabilities" will be held at Room 348 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building at 3 p.m. on the 28th. Co-hosted by Deputy Speaker Kim, and National Assembly members Hong Ik-pyo, Kang Seon-woo, Seo Young-seok, and Choi Hye-young, the forum will share cases of damages related to smartphone subscriptions for people with disabilities and seek integrated institutional improvement measures to prevent further harm.

According to the Korea Disabled Consumers Union's Disabled Consumer Damage Counseling Center, more than 70 cases of damage were reported over eight months from December 2020 to July this year, mainly involving people with developmental disabilities and visual impairments. The damage has been confirmed to be severe, including entire families becoming credit delinquents, identity theft, violence, threats, and extortion expanding into criminal acts.

Furthermore, a recent survey of 229 specific guardians revealed that the most serious contractual damage to people with developmental disabilities was related to "smartphone contracts." Although smartphones have become essential items in daily life, they pose a significant financial risk to some people with disabilities who may have difficulties in decision-making.

Deputy Speaker Kim said, “It is time for our National Assembly to step up to eradicate cases where people with disabilities suffer damages from smartphone subscriptions made with malicious intent by others,” adding, “Since this issue is a livelihood task that the National Assembly must solve, I hope members of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee and the Health and Welfare Committee will join forces.”

The presentations at the forum will be given by Kim Tae-pyo, Secretary General of the Korea Disabled Consumers Union, and Yoon Tae-young, Professor at Ajou University School of Law. Following the presentations, the discussion will begin with opening remarks by victim family member Ahn Hyun-jung, followed by panelists including Son Seon-hye, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Developmental Disability Welfare Center; Kim Seong-yeon, Secretary General of the Disability Discrimination Prevention Solidarity; Yang Seung-guk, Team Leader of the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association; Lee Jeong-soon, Director of the Telecommunications Use System Division at the Ministry of Science and ICT; and Shin Yong-ho, Director of the Disability Rights Support Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The forum can be watched live simultaneously on YouTube via ‘Kim Sang-hee TV.’