Six 'Cyber Safety Package' Bills Led by Assemblyman Jo Inchul Pass National Assembly Plenary Session

Achievements in Institutional Reforms Including the Information and Communications Network Act and Digital Inclusion Act
Transition from "Post-Incident Management" to "Proactive Prevention" Framework
Strengthening ISMS and Establishing Incident Resp

Inchul Jo

The so-called "Jo Inchul Cyber Safety Package Act," which comprehensively overhauls the national framework for the prevention and response to cyber incidents, has passed the plenary session of the National Assembly. In response to recurring large-scale hacking incidents, the legislation is seen as establishing a clear delineation of responsibility for both the state and corporations, as well as providing the institutional foundation for a security system focused on prevention.

Jo Inchul, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Seo-gu Gap), announced that a total of six bills he sponsored—including five amendments to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (Information and Communications Network Act) and one amendment to the Digital Inclusion Act—passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on March 12, 2026.

This achievement is attributed to Assemblyman Jo's expertise and persistent legislative efforts, as he has consistently emphasized cyber security as a core issue for national security and public welfare. Through his work in standing committees and other activities, Jo has persistently highlighted the vulnerabilities in society's information protection systems and focused on developing practical solutions.

Recently, the need for a comprehensive, national-level response system has been repeatedly raised due to the recurrence of major cyber incidents across various sectors, including KT, Coupang, and Lotte Card. The revised legislation aims to close gaps in incident response and redefine the structure of responsibility across all stages—from prevention to response and post-incident measures.

The key elements of the amended Information and Communications Network Act include: ▲ Establishing and distributing systematic response manuals for cyber incidents ▲ Mandating that information and communications service providers secure information security personnel and budgets ▲ Strengthening the Information Security Management System (ISMS) for high-risk industries ▲ Clarifying the authority of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) over personnel and budget management ▲ Strengthening the obligation to promptly notify users in the event of an incident ▲ Providing a basis for investigation and action even in cases that are not deemed major incidents, when necessary.

Notably, this legislative amendment is significant in that it moves beyond the previous approach of post-incident management, instead introducing institutional mechanisms to strengthen information security responsibilities at the prevention stage.

The amended Digital Inclusion Act, also passed, requires the state and local governments to provide support to ensure that digitally vulnerable groups—such as the elderly and people with disabilities—are not excluded from information access and incident response in the event of a cyber incident, thereby establishing a "double safety net" for digital inclusion.

Assemblyman Jo stated, "With cyber incidents recurring across telecom, platform, and financial sectors, the existing system was insufficient to cope with the rapidly evolving cyber threats. Now, instead of reactive post-incident measures, the state must take the lead and structurally reinforce prevention and response frameworks."

He continued, "To effectively counter increasingly sophisticated cybercrime, I will do my utmost to advance follow-up legislative initiatives, such as the recently proposed introduction of 'cyber special judicial police,' so that people can feel secure in a digital Korea."

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