The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) said on Sunday it has worked with SK Telecom to add a voice spam reporting function to the A Dot Phone app.

KISA has received spam reports through services such as the "Easy Reporting Service" built into Samsung Electronics mobile phones. It has analysed the originating numbers and the contents of reports and used them to block illegal spam. But the feature was available only in the default phone app on Samsung devices, limiting reporting by users of mobile carrier phone apps. In many cases, call recording files were not attached when voice spam was reported, limiting detailed analysis of the reports.

To make reporting easier and secure data needed for analysis, KISA linked its spam reporting system with SKT's AI-based phone service, A Dot Phone. A Dot Phone provides functions including real-time spam and voice phishing detection and alerts, and call summary features using AI. Under the linkage, SKT users have been able to report voice spam through the A Dot Phone app regardless of handset type since Sept. 30. Users of other mobile carriers, including KT and LG Uplus, can use the function in the Android environment.

KISA also simplified the reporting method. Users can check the recording of a call to be reported in A Dot Phone's recent call history and press the "Report and block spam" button. Even without separately writing a report, the call recording file and the caller number are submitted to KISA. KISA plans to expand cooperation so that AI-based phone apps from KT and LG Uplus can also add the spam reporting function.

Huh Hae-nyeong (허해녕), head of KISA's User Protection Group, said, "To respond effectively to voice spam, it is important to create an environment in which users can report easily and conveniently." He added, "We will continue to expand cooperation with mobile carriers and handset makers to reduce blind spots in reporting, and strengthen voice spam analysis and blocking based on accumulated report data."