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South Korea Targets ‘Review Terrorism’ on Major Platforms
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) convened with six major online platforms and small business associations on September 11, 2026, to address the impact of malicious reviews on local business owners.
What happened
- On September 11, 2026, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) held a meeting with six major platforms (Naver, Kakao, Baedal Minjok, Coupang, Nol Universe, and Yeogi Eottae) and small business groups. – The discussion focused on mitigating the impact of malicious reviews that threaten the livelihoods of small business owners. – Proposed solutions include a 30-day temporary blind (hiding) period for reported reviews. – The government will provide enhanced legal support through its Fair Trade Damage Counseling Center to assist self-employed individuals.
Why it matters
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) is the South Korean central government agency tasked with supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and protecting the rights of small business owners. In Korea, the online review and rating system has created a structure heavily skewed in favor of consumers. Business owners have reported that a small number of malicious, low-rated, or false reviews can severely damage their operations and reputation. The government is intervening to balance this dynamic, ensuring that business owners have a mechanism to address unfair practices.
The numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Meeting Date | September 11, 2026 |
| Participants | 20 individuals from 9 organizations |
| Platform representation | 66.7% (6 out of 9 organizations) |
| Proposed Blind Duration | 30 days |
Current Platform Review Policies
| Policy | Description |
|---|---|
| Review Autonomy | Business owners gain control over review exposure |
| Modification Limits | Reviews can only be edited within a set period |
| Temporary Blind | Reported reviews are hidden for 30 days |
| Rating Exclusion | Hidden reviews are excluded from average rating calculations |
Fact-check
- The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is the primary government body overseeing the protection of small business owners in South Korea: TRUE [2].
- Six platform companies attended the September 11 meeting: TRUE [1].
- The government plans to expand the 'Shared Growth Evaluation' to include more online platforms to encourage fair cooperation: TRUE [1].
What's next
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will incorporate feedback from the meeting into future policies. Vice Minister Lee Byung-kwon emphasized that the current system must be improved to prevent malicious users from harming honest small business owners. The government will proceed with refining specific cooperation measures, including the expansion of the Shared Growth Evaluation, to ensure these protections are implemented effectively.
Sources
- 중기부, 온라인플랫폼 별점제 관련 상생 간담회 개최 — 중소벤처기업부 보도자료
- 대한민국 중소벤처기업부 — Wikipedia (ko)
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