Penalty Dispute Mediation for Four Applicants
Similar Disputes May Arise Again
Committee Urges Proactive Protection of User Rights
Korea Communications Commission: "A Policy Decision Is Needed... No Binding Force"
The Korea Communications Commission has ruled that the deadline for waiving penalty fees due to the SK Telecom hacking incident should be extended until the end of this year, and SK Telecom must indicate whether it accepts or rejects this decision by early next month.
On the 21st, the Commission announced that the Telecommunications Dispute Mediation Committee had issued an "ex officio mediation decision" stating that if users terminate their mobile communication services within this year, all termination penalty fees will be waived, and that partial penalty fees should also be paid for bundled products that include wired internet services.
The Telecommunications Dispute Mediation Committee, which is composed of external members such as professors and lawyers, is an organization that resolves cases through counseling or dispute mediation when users experience damages while using telecommunications services.
Two dispute mediation requests were filed regarding the requirement to pay penalty fees for users who applied to terminate their SK Telecom service after July 14, which SKT had set as the deadline for penalty waivers. In response, the committee decided that if users apply to terminate their mobile communication services within this year, all termination penalty fees should be waived.
The committee stated, "There is no legal basis for restricting or extinguishing the period during which a customer can exercise their legitimate right to terminate a contract, as long as there is no legal reason for its extinction," and added, "The deadline for penalty fee waivers announced by SKT has no legal basis."
On the 28th, customers waiting to replace their SIM cards visited an official SK Telecom certified agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul. SK Telecom plans to offer free SIM card replacement services to subscribers starting today. 2025.4.28. Photo by Kang Jinhyung
Additionally, after SKT decided to waive penalty fees for mobile communication services as a follow-up to the hacking incident, two more dispute mediation requests were submitted, arguing that penalty fees should also be waived for bundled products that include wired services such as internet and IPTV.
In response, the committee decided that SKT should pay 50% of the penalty fees (discount refund amounts) that users incurred when terminating bundled wired and wireless products.
The committee recently notified both the respondent (SKT) and the four applicants of the details of this ex officio mediation decision. Ex officio mediation is established only if both parties accept it; if either party does not accept, the mediation is considered unsuccessful and the case is closed.
The committee explained that it made the ex officio mediation decision because the likelihood of reaching an agreement was low, the case was expected to be prolonged, and factors such as the need for prompt handling and consistency and fairness in mediation were taken into account.
The committee also emphasized, "We hope that the telecommunications company will accept this ex officio mediation decision and take a more active role in protecting users' rights and interests."
According to the Telecommunications Business Act, if no written objection or statement of acceptance is submitted within 14 days of receiving the ex officio mediation decision, it is considered not accepted.
Accordingly, SKT must indicate its position on the committee's decision regarding the four applications by early next month. SKT stated, "We plan to carefully review the ex officio mediation proposal and respond accordingly."
An official from the Korea Communications Commission commented, "Since an ex officio mediation decision is not an administrative disposition, it does not have compulsory or binding force on the company," but added, "As similar disputes may arise again, SKT will need to make a policy decision."
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