"They missed out on 170 billion won simply because they didn't know—make sure your parents apply" ... More than 2.1 million people fail to receive telecom bill discounts

[Financial News] More than 2.1 million people among vulnerable groups eligible for telecommunications bill discounts—including people with disabilities, older adults, and low-income individuals—did not receive the benefit during the first half of this year. That amounts to roughly one in five eligible people, and the value of the discounts they missed out on is estimated to exceed 170 billion won.

According to data submitted to National Assembly member Hwang Jeong-a by the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 21st, 10,674,877 people were eligible for telecommunications bill discounts during the first half of this year.
Of these, 8,574,247 people actually received the discounts. The remaining 2,100,630 people were eligible but did not receive the benefit. They accounted for approximately 20% of all eligible people.
The total value of telecommunications bill discounts during the first half of this year was 711.706 billion won. Based on the number of people who actually received the benefit, the average discount was approximately 83,005 won per person for the first half of the year, or about 13,834 won per month.
If the same level of discounts were applied to the 2,100,630 people who did not receive the benefit, the value of the discounts they missed during the first half of this year would amount to approximately 174.3 billion won.
The problem is that the number of vulnerable people who fail to receive the discounts has been increasing every year.
The number of people who did not receive the benefit during the first half of the year rose from 1.8 million in 2022 to 1.86 million in 2023, 2.01 million in 2024, and 2.04 million last year. This year, the figure increased to 2.1 million. During the same period, the number of eligible people also grew by approximately 1.25 million, from 9,423,529 to 10,674,877.

Under the Telecommunications Business Act, vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and low-income individuals are eligible for telecommunications bill discounts. However, discounts are not automatically applied simply because someone qualifies. Applicants must apply in person at a telecommunications carrier's retail outlet or a community service center, or apply online or through a customer service center.
As a result, older adults and people with disabilities who are vulnerable in terms of access to information may be left without the discounts because they are unaware of the program or have difficulty completing the application process.
Hwang said, "The fact that more than 2 million vulnerable people each year are unable to receive telecommunications bill discounts despite being eligible shows that the current application-based system alone cannot eliminate these blind spots. In particular, requiring people with disabilities, older adults, and others who have difficulty accessing digital services and information to apply directly has clear limitations."
Hwang emphasized, "The system needs to be improved so that discounts can be automatically linked to eligibility verification for people who have consented to the provision of their personal information."
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter