Deleting Unused Apps Made Easier... KCC Issues Administrative Guidance on Four Pre-installed Apps on Galaxy Devices

The Korea Road Traffic Authority and OBS Gyeongin TV, whose licenses expire at the end of this year, have passed the government's five-year re-licensing review. Two comprehensive cable TV operators, JCN Ulsan Central Broadcasting and CCS Chungbuk Broadcasting, also received re-licenses. Samsung Electronics was ordered to improve four pre-installed applications (apps) deemed unnecessary for consumers.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced on the 14th that it held its 63rd meeting and approved these agenda items.

The KCC formed a re-licensing review committee consisting of nine experts from November 28 for three days, and as a result of the review, 13 broadcasting stations of two companies scored above the re-licensing standard score of 650 out of 1000 points.

As common re-licensing conditions for broadcasters, the KCC required faithful implementation of the business plans submitted at the time of re-licensing application and the establishment of measures to improve the treatment of irregular workers. OBS Gyeongin TV was also subject to conditions common to private broadcasters, such as submitting the current status of media reports related to the largest shareholder and maintaining the broadcasting professional management system.

Two comprehensive cable TV operators, JCN Ulsan Central Broadcasting and CCS Chungbuk Broadcasting, also received preliminary consent for re-licensing. However, Ulsan Central Broadcasting needs to expand direct production investment and requires a specific repayment plan to reduce debt, including borrowings. Chungbuk Broadcasting was also given a condition that continuous efforts by the company are needed to expand direct production investment and recover illegal funds related to embezzlement and breach of trust by the former largest shareholder.

The KCC also approved the '2021 Media Exchange Rate' calculated by the Media Diversity Committee and the '2021 Broadcast Operator Viewership Share Calculation Results' of 294 broadcasting operators. The 2021 media exchange rate, used to convert daily newspaper subscription rates into viewership shares, was surveyed at 0.36. For terrestrial broadcasters, the viewership shares were surveyed as follows: Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) 22.555%, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) 9.868%, SBS 7.738%, and Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) 1.792%.

Based on an investigation of smartphones released from May 2020 to April 2021, the KCC judged that four pre-installed applications by Samsung Electronics require administrative guidance. The targeted apps are 'AR Zone,' 'AR Doodle,' 'Weather,' and 'Samsung Visit In.'

Samsung Electronics plans to take deletion-equivalent measures mainly on the Galaxy S22 series, which currently has a high sales share, for the Samsung Visit In and AR Doodle apps. For the AR Zone and Weather apps, deletion or deletion-equivalent measures will be taken starting with the next device, the Galaxy S23 series.

The KCC also prepared a guide containing detailed standards for prohibited acts regarding pre-installed apps, compliance requirements for operators, exceptions for unfairness, and criteria for judging restrictions such as deletion. On the same day (the 14th), related channels were opened on the 'Online Damage 365 Center' and 'User Information Portal' to allow the public to report inconveniences related to pre-installed apps.