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ICT Regulators for consumer protection in the Digital Age
Asia-Pacific Regulators meet in Seoul
Geneva, 14 October 2013 – Regulators from more than 20
countries of the Asia-Pacific region are meeting this week in Seoul, Republic of
Korea, to discuss various consumer protection issues in the converged ICT
sector. The Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Round Table is co-organized by the Korea
Communications Commission (KCC) and ITU with support from the Department of
Communications, Government of Australia.
In line with the theme for this year, “Protecting Consumers in the
Digital Age”, top-level regulators in the region aim to share experiences
and challenges, brainstorm on possible solutions, and discuss potential
collaboration in the digital era.
KCC Chairman Kyeong-Jae Lee said, “International coordination for consumer
protection is more necessary than ever, as leakages of personal data and false
information travel across the globe through the Internet, and international
cybercrime is on the rise.” Mr Lee added that “regulators across the world are
exploring various ways to enhance and strengthen consumer rights,” and proposed
that his fellow regulators in Asia and the Pacific “identify challenges and pool
our wisdom to shape a desirable digital convergence era of the future.”
This high-level Regulators’ Round Table, organized by ITU since 2011,
provides an opportunity for strategic discussions on emerging regulatory issues
and challenges faced in the rapidly evolving and converging ICT sector.
In his message to the Regulator’s Round Table, ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun
I. Touré called for close collaboration and ‘smart’ partnerships among
regulators in the converged digital era to promote creative and innovative ICT
applications in e-health, e-commerce, e-transportation, and m-banking among
others. He noted that ICTs are recognized as key enablers for socio-economic
development and that regulators must give priority to protecting consumers of
ICT services and applications. The Secretary-General was represented at the
meeting by the Regional Director of ITU’s Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific, Eun-Ju Kim.
The Third Regulators’ Round Table, held earlier in Australia (2011) and India
(2012), is expected to assist in strengthening regional and national regulatory
frameworks for protecting consumers in the converged ICT sector, while
developing future strategies.
The Regulators’ meeting will be followed by a three-day international
training programme that will highlight the enabling environment required to
embrace convergence and transition towards a “smart” digital society. Around 60
participants from more than 25 countries are expected to attend the training
programme.
For more information, please see
www.itu.int/ITU-D/asp/CMS/Events/2013/RR-ITP-2013/index.asp
or contact:
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Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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Eun-ju Kim
Regional Director
ITU
Regional Office for Asia & the Pacific
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