[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee] The Korea Communications Commission will assess the level of user protection provided by telecom operators and online platforms. This year it will expand score deductions tied to administrative penalties, such as fines and corrective orders, as well as social issues, to strengthen assessments of operators that have caused actual harm to users.

The commission held its 23rd plenary meeting of 2026 on July 15 and reviewed and approved the 2026 plan to assess telecommunications operators' user protection work.

The assessment will cover a total of 47 companies: 21 operators in three categories of facilities-based telecommunications businesses, including mobile communications, high-speed internet and budget mobile services, and 26 value-added telecommunications businesses in nine categories, including social networking services, app markets, online video services and online shopping.

Eyesvision and AliExpress, which have undergone pilot assessments since 2024, will be included in the full assessment from this year.

Assessment items include management systems for user protection work, compliance with relevant laws and regulations, harm-prevention activities and performance in handling user complaints. Final grades will be determined through document and on-site reviews of materials submitted by operators, interviews with executives in charge, checks of automated response system operations and user satisfaction surveys.

This year, score deductions will be strengthened for operators that have caused substantial harm to users. The commission will raise deductions tied to administrative penalties such as fines, administrative fines and corrective orders, and increase the level of deductions in indicators that reflect social issues, including recent user harm.

The user satisfaction survey will introduce open-ended questions so that actual user opinions that emerged during harm and recovery processes are reflected in the assessment. It will also raise the score weighting for related items. Operators that receive an 'excellent' grade can receive reductions within 30 percent, and those rated 'good' within 20 percent, when penalties are imposed under the Telecommunications Business Act.

KCC Chairman Jong-cheol Kim (김종철) said that technological advances such as platforms and AI have increased the social responsibility of information and communications businesses and the importance of user protection. He said the commission would draw out effective harm-prevention measures and build a digital media ecosystem the public can trust.