Government Crackdown Cuts Voice Phishing by 30%... Ruling Party and Government Vow to Eradicate Voice Phishing

Ruling Party and Government Hold Voice Phishing Task Force Meeting
Voice Phishing Cases Decline as Legislative and Policy Measures Accelerate

Han Jungae, Chair of the Policy Committee and Head of the Voice Phishing Task Force of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Since the middle of this year, as the government has actively taken steps to eradicate voice phishing, the number of voice phishing cases and the amount of damages in the second half of the year have significantly decreased. The ruling party and the government plan to crack down even harder on these crimes next year, aiming to make it the first year in which the roots of voice phishing are eradicated.

Voice Phishing Cases Down 30% Since Launch of the Voice Phishing Task Force

On the morning of December 30 in the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the Democratic Party of Korea and the government held a party-government consultation on the Voice Phishing Task Force and announced their commitment to making 2026 the first year of eradicating voice phishing crimes.

According to the government, since the launch of the pan-government Voice Phishing Task Force in August, both the number of cases and the amount of damages have dropped sharply. In October, there were 1,226 voice phishing cases in Korea, down 32.8% compared to the same period last year, and damages during the same period also fell by 22.9% to 69.9 billion won. In November, the number of cases and damages decreased by 26.7% and 35%, respectively.

A government official stated, "As the government's voice phishing countermeasures announced on August 28 have been effectively implemented, the damage indicators, which had consistently exceeded last year's statistics since the beginning of the year, clearly decreased in October and November." The official added, "Although October typically sees a decrease in damages due to the Chuseok holiday, it is highly positive that there was a significant year-on-year decline in November as well, which is unaffected by the holiday effect."

The government plans to swiftly implement various measures established to eradicate voice phishing, aiming to further reduce such crimes next year. To this end, the statutory penalty for fraud under the Criminal Act has been raised, and amendments to the Act on the Recovery of Corrupt Assets have been completed to strengthen the recovery of criminal proceeds for victim relief. Laws related to the sharing of suspected voice phishing information, imposing management responsibilities and preventive obligations on mobile carriers for burner phones, and imposing fines on those involved in illegal spam transmission have all passed the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Promoting a No-Fault Compensation System for Financial Institutions in Voice Phishing Cases

The ruling party and the government also explained that they are accelerating legislative efforts at the relevant standing committee stage for additional measures, such as payment suspension and reimbursement for damages related to virtual assets, banning the domestic manufacture and distribution of caller ID spoofing relay devices, and establishing a legal basis for personal data processing in the development of artificial intelligence for public interest purposes. On December 23, a bill was also introduced to establish a no-fault compensation system, requiring financial institutions to compensate voice phishing victims up to a certain limit.

Han Jungae, Chair of the Policy Committee and Head of the Voice Phishing Task Force of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "The party and government will not be complacent with current achievements and will proactively identify policy tasks to respond to evolving voice phishing crimes, such as new methods, to create a safe Korea free from voice phishing." Jo Incheol, the secretary of the Voice Phishing Task Force and a Democratic Party lawmaker, emphasized, "Although voice phishing cases dropped significantly in October and November, several crimes are still occurring each day. We will root out these crimes completely."

Yoon Changryeol, head of the pan-government Voice Phishing Task Force and Secretary to the Prime Minister for Policy Coordination, said, "The government will remain vigilant to ensure that citizens do not suffer unfair damages from voice phishing crimes. Based on the results of this party-government task force consultation, we will promptly revise the subordinate regulations of the relevant laws and thoroughly supplement the August 28 countermeasures to respond even more strongly to new types of fraud."