[The Chosun Ilbo, April 25 2008] Selling Out Their Customers

Hanaro Telecom has been found guilty of handing over the resident registration numbers, addresses, phone numbers and other personal information of six million of its customers without their consent to telemarketing companies to sell its Internet TV, fixed-line phone service and other communications products. Hanaro is said to have paid successful telemarketing companies tens of thousands of won in bonuses per deal.

Many people are going crazy getting so many phone calls from telemarketers, asking people to sign up for Internet phone or cable TV services, credit cards or financial loans. Sometimes, the telemarketers know personal information about the people receiving the calls, including their names and occupations. This doesn’t just leave them uncomfortable but downright scared. Now it turns out it was none other than Korea’s no. 2 fixed-line phone service provider that ordered these nuisance calls.