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In a move to reduce everyday inconveniences caused by outdated and complex regulations, South Korea announced a series of reforms across sectors, including telecommunications and transportation, as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea.
The initiative follows the government's annual "Absurd Regulation Contest," where citizens submit complaints about rules that make daily life unnecessarily difficult. The Office for Government Policy Coordination said it had selected 10 key items for reform based on this year's submissions. One major change will simplify the cancellation process for mobile phone contracts. Currently, users often need to call customer service, visit branches, or go through mandatory consultations to cancel a plan. Under the new policy, cancellations will be possible with just a few clicks online. The Korea Communications Commission will implement the change, allowing users to terminate contracts immediately, with any outstanding payments settled afterwards. Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), the publicly-run railway operator in Seoul, will allow passengers to change seats and stations via mobile apps after boarding. Student loan applications will be expanded to weekends and holidays. Drivers will also be able to pay highway tolls at convenience stores. The Personal Information Protection Commission, the country's national data protection authority, said it will provide legal grounds by 2026 to permit the use of CCTV footage for crime reporting, resolving longstanding privacy concerns. Separately, at a joint meeting of economic and industrial ministers, the government approved 33 tasks aimed at improving public services including greater digitisation and reduced wait times. Pilot schemes will also be introduced at 100 highway gas stations to display next-day fuel prices, reflecting fluctuations in international oil prices. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said that the reforms aim to "enhance public satisfaction by cutting unreasonable regulations and accelerating innovation in public services." (ANI)
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