A bill has been proposed to prevent network instability caused by unilateral service changes by large value-added telecom operators such as YouTube and Meta.

Jo In-cheol (조인철), a Democratic Party lawmaker, said on Tuesday he has proposed amendments to the Telecommunications Business Act to legally guarantee time for relevant telecom operators to respond in advance when a large value-added telecom operator undertakes an action that significantly affects domestic telecom services.

The amendments start from concerns that, as data traffic surges with the spread of AI and digital transformation, the impact of unilateral actions by large value-added telecom operators on the stability of domestic telecom services and user service quality is growing.

Under current law, value-added telecom operators above a certain size must give advance notice if they take actions that could significantly affect telecom services, such as changing traffic routes. But the timing and procedures for notification are not clear. Critics say internet service providers and others lack enough time to prepare responses such as network expansion or technical adjustments.

In 2017, Facebook changed its traffic transmission route without prior notice, causing an overload on the Hong Kong-South Korea undersea cable section and resulting in widespread access delays for users in South Korea.

To address such institutional gaps, the amendments require large value-added telecom operators to notify the minister of science and ICT and relevant telecom operators of the details and reasons at least 30 days before taking actions that could significantly affect telecom services. They also specify that, if necessary, the minister can request additional measures to ensure service stability.

Jo's office said that if the amendments pass, telecom operators will be able to prepare in advance for unilateral traffic route changes, improving the stability of telecom services. It said it expects the likelihood of large value-added telecom operators using changes in service quality as a negotiating tool to also decrease.

Jo said decisions such as changes to traffic routes by large value-added telecom operators are directly linked to the stability of domestic telecom networks and the quality of telecom services used by the public. He said a minimum safety device is needed to protect users by institutionally guaranteeing time to respond to risks, going beyond simple advance notice.