South Korea proposes law forcing streaming services to disclose price-increase calculations
A bill introduced by Rep. Lee Hoon-ki would require major streaming platforms in South Korea to publish the methodology behind subscription fee hikes.
Lawmakers in South Korea are considering an amendment that would tighten oversight of streaming-service pricing. Sponsored by Rep. Lee Hoon-ki, the proposal mandates that qualifying platforms disclose the basis for any subscription-price adjustments and file detailed reports with the Ministry of Science and ICT. When terms change, companies must provide a direct comparison of previous and revised conditions and make this information publicly available online.
The bill highlights the difficulty consumers face in understanding recent hikes, such as Netflix’s 27.2% increase for its ad-supported plan and YouTube Premium’s 71.5% rise since 2019. It also seeks to close a regulatory gap that currently exempts streaming services from the reporting obligations imposed on traditional cable and IPTV operators. Public comments are accepted until Sunday.
Why it matters
Transparent pricing could protect South Korean consumers from opaque subscription hikes by major streaming platforms.
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