The Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) held a policy forum on the “4th Industrial Revolution and Innovation of Communications Policy” at the National Assembly Member’s Office Bldg. on February 2.

The policy forum, titled “Reestablishment of Concept of Household Telecommunication Expenses and Restructuring of Statistical Classification for the Era of 5G,” was hosted by Representative Kim Seong-tae from the Saenuri Party and Representative Byeon Jae-il from the Democratic Party and organized by KISDI to discuss new directions of the communications policy in keeping with the change of the communications environment.

“Our challenge is not only to reduce the household burden of telecommunications expenses but also to analyze and inform the public of the benefits of communications services. It is necessary to break out of the conventional frame of voice-centered communication expenses and establish the new concept of telecommunications expenses that suits the hyperconnected society,” said KISDI President Kim Do-hwan in his opening remarks.

Kim Yong-jae, Director of Communications Policy of KISDI, gave a speech on the “Status of Communications Service Use and Classification of Communications Expenses in Korea and Other Countries” and introduced the plan to restructure the classification of communications expenses, which are currently being discussed actively by the United Nations.

The speeches were followed by a panel discussion moderated by Lim Ju-hwan, President of the Korea Information & Communication Industry Institute (KICI). The panel discussion was participated in by the following: Kim Bo-gyeong, Director of the Welfare Statistics Division at Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSTAT); Park Ji-seong, a reporter at Electronic Times; Yun Sang-pil, Director for External Cooperation at the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA); Jeon Yeong-su, Director of Telecommunications Service Policy Division at Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning; Jeong Ji-yeon, General Secretary of the Consumers Union of Korea; Choi Gyeong-jin, Professor at Gachon University; and Han Seong-su, Director of the Economics of Technology Research Division at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute.

Contact : Kang Yeen-kyu, Associate Fellow of the Department of Telecommunications & Spectrum Research, KISDI (043-531-4138)