The Broadcast Media Communication Commission said on Wednesday it will extend by 2 years an exemption from requiring explicit prior consent for a text-message service that sends store information for small merchants.
The service allows telecom operators to automatically send text messages with store information such as business hours, location, prices and events to customers who call to inquire or make a reservation at a small merchant’s store, without the recipient’s prior consent. Article 50(1) of the Information and Communications Network Act requires explicit prior consent when sending advertising information for profit-making purposes, and the measure recognises an exception to that rule.
The commission first allowed the service in 2022 to support small merchants amid the spread of COVID-19. There are about 20,000 subscribers. The commission said it decided to extend the measure after taking into account the continued need to support small merchants, subscribers’ positive assessments and trends in reports of illegal spam.
Kim Jong-cheol (김종철), the commission’s chair, said, "I hope this decision helps even a little with small merchants' economic recovery."
Seul-gi Son
sageson@d-today.co.kr