The Ministry of Science and ICT agreed that the wholesale provision obligation system should be maintained in order to invigorate competition in the mobile communications market, as the sunset clause has been abolished.

The wholesale price is what mobile carriers, which provide telecommunication services through their networks, pay to the three major mobile carriers. The abolition of the sunset provision ultimately means that the wholesale price must continue to be paid by maintaining the effect of the regulation.

Along with this, it was suggested that the wholesale price calculation method for LTE and 5G needs to be diversified and the calculation time needs to be changed.

In addition, there was a conflict of opinions: one was to limit the share of the budget phone market held by subsidiaries of the three major mobile carriers; the other was to regulate unfair discrimination between budget phone service providers affiliated with mobile carriers and independent budget phone service providers, taking into account the contribution of subsidiaries of mobile carriers to the growth of the budget phone market.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that on the 29th, it held the second meeting of the 'Special Task Force (TF) on Promotion of Competition in the Telecommunications Market' in the conference room of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council Support Group, reviewed the results of discussions in the Telecommunications Policy Division and the Radio Policy Division within the TF, and exchanged opinions with experts from various fields.

This general meeting reviewed entry restrictions such as foreign ownership restrictions, the wholesale provision obligation system related to low-cost mobile phones, the wholesale price calculation method, and the 28GHz frequency allocation policy.

Regarding the 28GHz frequency allocation policy, it is to ensure that new operators entering the already mature telecommunications market can be competitive. They agreed that allocation policies, such as construction obligations and allocation fees, should serve as incentives for new businesses rather than excessive burdens.

Regarding the 28GHz frequency allocation announcement, opinions were raised that sufficient time should be provided to allow companies wishing to participate to carefully assess the feasibility of the business.

Regarding the foreign ownership restriction system, it was suggested that there are not many institutional barriers to foreign investment as there are public interest review systems in place under the current system, and that entry restrictions should be reviewed taking into account the needs of new businesses.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced, “In the future, the special task force (TF) will work with relevant ministries, including the Korea Communications Commission, to review the need to improve the Mobile Device Distribution Act to promote competition, ways to improve convenience such as improving the process of subscribing to low-cost mobile phones, and regional market entry.”