South Korea’s media watchdog has approved regulations mandating bulk phone text messaging service providers to incorporate safeguards against illegal spamming to maintain their certification. The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) announced this decision during its first regular meeting since its establishment in October 2025. To qualify for bulk transmissions, messaging service providers must adhere to 16 criteria, including banned-word filtering systems and measures to prevent unlawful use.
Certified providers will face cancellation of their certifications if messages associated with illegal activities like drugs, gambling, and illegal lending are identified. Additionally, these providers will undergo annual reviews to ensure ongoing compliance with the set standards. The proposed regulations are pending review by the Ministry of Government Legislation and subsequent approval by the Cabinet.
“The policy aims to enhance the government’s supervision of distributors. We are committed to preventing public inconvenience resulting from illegal spam,” stated KMCC Chairperson Kim Jong-cheol in a release. In a related development, the Cabinet recently endorsed a revised communication law that imposes fines of up to 6 percent of relevant sales on illegal spam senders and mobile carriers failing to adequately prevent such activities.
The revision was prompted by criticism of the previous regulation, which only imposed fines of up to 30 million won (US$20,200) on spam senders. This raised concerns that the penalties were insufficient compared to the profits derived from illegal activities. Earlier this month, the head of the media watchdog urged Google to foster mutual growth in South Korea’s application ecosystem as the tech giant revises its commission policy for the app market. Kim Jong-cheol met with Wilson White, Google’s vice president of global affairs, in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, to explore potential areas of collaboration ahead of implementing the new commission policy.
