{"id":2208275,"date":"2025-02-05T08:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T23:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2208275"},"modified":"2025-02-04T13:35:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T04:35:24","slug":"south-koreas-new-law-forces-big-tech-to-offer-real-time-customer-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2025\/02\/south-koreas-new-law-forces-big-tech-to-offer-real-time-customer-support\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s new law forces Big Tech to offer real-time customer support"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> on Tuesday that the Cabinet has approved an amendment to the <\/span>Telecommunications Business Act<\/span><\/a> enforcement decree, requiring major online platforms to offer real-time customer service via both online and telephone channels. The law, targeting firms with over a million daily users and at least 1% of domestic internet traffic, affects Google, Meta, Netflix, Naver, Kakao and Coupang. Companies must respond to customer inquiries immediately during business hours or within three working days if immediate resolution is not possible. The regulation will take effect one year after promulgation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The amendment aims to address longstanding complaints over poor customer support from digital platforms, particularly foreign tech giants, which often rely on automated systems with limited Korean-language assistance. The government argues that the law enhances consumer protection.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHY IT MATTERS<\/b><\/p>\n

The new law will likely raise compliance costs for these online platforms, particularly foreign companies. Unlike South Korean firms with established customer service infrastructure, U.S. tech giants will need to hire Korean-speaking staff, expand call center operations or develop AI-driven solutions to comply with the new rules.<\/span><\/p>\n

The regulation follows Seoul\u2019s Oct.2024 <\/span>proposal<\/span><\/a> to tighten antitrust rules on dominant digital platforms, which would allow regulators to penalize firms for self-preferencing, bundling and restrictive contracts. U.S. tech firms and industry groups have already objected to those measures, arguing they disproportionately target American firms while leaving domestic and Chinese competitors less affected. The Trump administration may view this latest customer service mandate as another regulatory attack on U.S. tech firms, potentially escalating trade tensions under the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Korean policymakers appear to be moving toward EU-style digital oversight, but with President Yoon Suk-yeol impeached and arrested, and the Constitutional Court\u2019s ruling on his impeachment <\/span>pending<\/span><\/a>, there is a <\/span>real possibility<\/span><\/a> that the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) could seize the presidency if a snap election is held. While the DP has long <\/span>advocated<\/span><\/a> stricter platform regulation, DP leader Lee Jae-myung has recently adopted <\/span>pragmatic economic policies<\/span><\/a> in his likely bid to become president.<\/span><\/p>\n

Business & Economy<\/span><\/a>Inter-Korean & Foreign Relations<\/span><\/a>Technology & Cyber<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South Korea announced on Tuesday that the Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act enforcement decree, requiring major online platforms to offer real-time customer service via both online and telephone channels. The law, targeting firms with over a million daily users and at least 1% of domestic internet traffic, affects Google, Meta, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2208276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[24,28,29],"class_list":["post-2208275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-briefings","tag-business-economy","tag-inter-korean-foreign-relations","tag-technology-cyber"],"yoast_head":"\nSouth Korea\u2019s new law forces Big Tech to offer real-time customer support - Korea Pro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2025\/02\/south-koreas-new-law-forces-big-tech-to-offer-real-time-customer-support\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Korea\u2019s new law forces Big Tech to offer real-time customer support - Korea Pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"South Korea announced on Tuesday that the Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act enforcement decree, requiring major online platforms to offer real-time customer service via both online and telephone channels. 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