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South Korea Scrutinizes Netflix Over Network Usage fee

By  |  May 4, 2020

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said it is investigating American streaming service Netflix for refusing to pay network use fees to local internet service providers (ISP).

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    The country’s antitrust regulator had remained silent on the issue until recently. Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, the government has recommended people stay at home, which resulted in the number of Netflix subscribers skyrocketing. This has led to an overload on network traffic and SK Broadband, a unit of the country’s top mobile carrier SK Telecom, has demanded the company pay network fees.

    In addition, the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) civic group issued a statement April 23, arguing that the government should strongly regulate Netflix. The group urged both the KFTC and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), the country’s top telecom regulator, to intervene and resolve the issue.

    Full Content: Korea Times

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