This report on data protection in South Korea is part of the “Harnessing Data for Democratic Development in South and Southeast Asia” (D4DAsia) project, which aims, inter alia, to create and mobilize new knowledge about the tensions, gaps, and evolution of the data governance ecosystem, taking into account both formal and informal policies and practices. This report complements the broader comparative effort that includes country studies from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Unlike the broader country reports, this report presents a focused case study of South Korea’s evolving data protection framework and its efforts to balance strong privacy protections with data-driven innovation. The report examines the development of South Korea’s legal and institutional framework, with particular attention to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), subsequent amendments, and the broader “Three Data Laws” regime. It also analyses reforms relating to pseudonymized data, AI governance, cross-border data transfers, automated decision-making, and data industry promotion, while drawing lessons from South Korea’s experience in developing an adaptive and innovation-oriented data governance framework.
The South Korea Country Report can be found below.
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