July 11, 2003
Manufacturers oppose camera-phone restrictions
Korea's handset makers are protesting the government's plan to regulate the use of camera phones in public places amid growing public concern over the issue, according to The Korea Herald.
"Members of the Electronic Industries Association of Korea - including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Curitel Communications Inc. - recently held a meeting and submitted their proposal to the Ministry of Information and Communication, arguing that it is not desirable for the government to put regulatory measures in place because of the potential side effects on mobile phone services and new technologies".
The underlying issue is that if the government makes it obligatory for manufacturers to install new solutions (such as installing a technical solution that would make it clear to people when someone else is taking a picture with a mobile phone in a public place), the prices of handsets will go up. In addition, handset makers are worried that such regulations would put a serious limit on design innovation, something that can wipe out their competitive edge in the global mobile phone market.
The association argued that those who take sneak pictures with handsets should be subject to punishment according to the related laws, and individual companies should be given the choice to block people from bringing phones with cameras into their offices".
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