The Korea Communications Commission will launch an investigation into cable TV service providers and portal operators over the possibility that information about customers has been leaked, a Dow Jones report said.
The Dow Jones report said the telecoms regulator will investigate whether the companies violated regulations on client information, including the possible disclosure of user information without their consent, the commission said in a statement.
'We'll check if they've followed rules in collecting and managing user information such as ID and contact numbers. We'll also look into the possibility there was sharing such information with telemarketing companies without prior user consent,' Paek Ki-Hoon, a KCC official, was quoted by the Dow Jones report as saying.
Such a probe usually lasts for 15 days, he added.
Those to be investigated include four internet portal operators - NHN, Daum Communications, SK Communications and Yahoo Korea.
Four cable operators that offer broadband services - C&M, CJ Hello Vision, T-broad and Qrix, will also be investigated, it said.
Officials at other companies involved in the investigation weren't immediately reachable for comment.