"In-App Payment Mandate Ban Is Essential... Google Gapjil Prevention Act Must Be Passed"

Jo Seung-rae, ruling party secretary of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, Democratic Party of Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Ruling party lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee urged the passage of the amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act, known as the 'Google Gapjil Prevention Act.'

Democratic Party lawmakers issued a statement on the 10th, saying, "We wholeheartedly welcome the reduction of Google's commission fees," but pointed out that "it cannot be a fundamental solution."

They stated, "The essence of a dominant platform operator forcing its own payment method on tenant companies does not disappear," emphasizing, "The National Assembly must prevent the tyranny of dominant operators and establish a fair market order before it is too late."

Democratic Party lawmakers revealed, "The domestic IT industry is also expressing concerns that mentioning commission rate (reduction) while neglecting the forced payment method is a futile effort, urging the National Assembly to legislate."

They added, "In February, there was a bipartisan agreement in the Science and Technology Committee's bill subcommittee to prohibit the forced use of in-app payment methods," and "Democratic Party lawmakers requested the priority passage of the agreed provisions, but the subcommittee chairman from the People Power Party rejected it, which is deeply regrettable."

Furthermore, they stated, "Fundamental measures must be prepared to prevent the tyranny of giant platform operators and revitalize the domestic app ecosystem before it is too late," urging "the cooperation of the People Power Party."

Earlier, Google announced that it would expand the in-app payment and 30% commission fee policy, which was only applied to games, to all content. This policy will take effect from October.

Currently, seven amendment bills to the Telecommunications Business Act, which include provisions preventing app market operators with monopolistic status from forcing specific payment methods, are pending in the National Assembly. They were proposed respectively by Democratic Party lawmakers Jo Seung-rae, Hong Jeong-min, Han Jun-ho; People Power Party lawmakers Park Seong-jung, Jo Myeong-hee, Heo Eun-ah; and independent lawmaker Yang Jeong-suk.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.