The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) met with the CEOs of the three major telecom companies to emphasize the need for a proactive approach to prevent large-scale data breaches. Given their close ties to the public through communication services, the commission stressed that CEOs and boards must take direct responsibility for data protection and enhance oversight across the entire telecom distribution network.
On September 28, PIPC Chair Song Kyung-hee held her first meeting with the CEOs of the three telecom companies to discuss measures for strengthening data protection. This meeting marked the first official communication between the PIPC and corporate leaders since the revised Personal Information Protection Act took effect on September 11, aimed at sharing updates on the new regulations and corporate responses.
In her opening remarks, Song stated, "We must shift to a prevention-focused protection system that identifies risks before incidents occur. Data protection should not be the sole responsibility of a designated department; it must become a core management task that CEOs oversee and the entire organization shares responsibility for."
Attendees included Jeong Jae-hun, CEO of SK Telecom; Park Yoon-young, CEO of KT; Hong Beom-sik, CEO of LG Uplus; and the Chief Privacy Officers (CPOs) from each company. The discussions centered on improving internal controls to prevent data breaches, establishing a proactive protection system, managing the entire telecom distribution network, training privacy protection professionals, and building a public-private partnership to address privacy issues.
Strengthening oversight of the telecom distribution network was also a key point of discussion. The PIPC requested that the telecom sector enhance management and supervision across the distribution structure, which extends from telecom companies to their agents and retailers.
The three telecom companies agreed in a joint declaration to prioritize data protection as a core corporate value. They committed to establishing a governance structure where CEOs and boards directly manage and monitor data protection efforts, as well as to increase investments in data protection and professional personnel. They also discussed measures to enhance transparency and accountability regarding how personal data is utilized in AI services, pledging to expand research and development of privacy-enhancing technologies (PET).
Following this meeting, the PIPC plans to maintain ongoing communication with the three telecom companies and incorporate field feedback into regulatory improvements and policies. Song expressed hope that the joint declaration from the telecom leaders would lead to tangible changes and improvements in the field, urging them to responsibly implement measures that elevate data protection standards and restore public trust in the telecom sector.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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