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Meta Fined 21.6 Billion Won in South Korea for Collecting Sensitive User Data for Targeted Ads

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s data protection watchdog has imposed new penalties on Meta, Facebook’s parent company, for collecting sensitive personal information from Korean users, including their political views, for advertising purposes. The latest fine brings total penalties against Meta in South Korea to approximately 60 billion won. The Personal Information Protection Commission [...]

Meta Fined for Illegally Collecting Sensitive Data of 980,000 Users

SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was ordered to pay 21.6 billion won (US$15.6 million) in fines for collecting sensitive data from users without notice and handing it over to advertisers, South Korea’s data protection watchdog said Tuesday. The Personal Information Protection Commission said it [...]

‘Infidelity Detective’ Sentenced for Selling Private Data on Men’s Red-Light District Visits

INCHEON, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – A man who secretly provided women with information about their husbands’ and boyfriends’ visits to red-light districts, earning millions of won in the process, has been sentenced to a suspended prison term. On October 6, Judge Hong Jun-seo of the Incheon District Court announced a verdict of one year in prison, [...]

South Korea Fines Crypto Project Worldcoin 1.1 Billion Won for Privacy Violations

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has imposed a fine of 1.1 billion won on Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project that collected iris scans from about 30,000 South Korean users without proper legal grounds and transferred the data overseas in violation of privacy laws. The PIPC announced on September 26 [...]

Black Market for K-Pop Stars’ Flight Information Raises Privacy Concerns in South Korea

SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – A thriving underground market for K-pop idols’ flight information has emerged on social media platforms, raising alarm among privacy advocates and entertainment companies alike. On August 16, numerous posts appeared on X (formerly Twitter) offering to sell detailed flight information of popular K-pop groups. For as little as 2,000 won, [...]

South Korea Expands Access to Personal Data, Raising Privacy Concerns and Industry Hopes

SEOUL, Jul. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – In a bold move to bolster its artificial intelligence industry, the South Korean government has announced plans to release a wide range of personal data to businesses, researchers, and the public this year. The data, which will undergo pseudonymization, includes sensitive information such as college entrance exam scores, medical records, [...]

Over 10 Pct of S. Koreans Use Generative AI, But Data Privacy Concerns Persist: Survey

SEOUL, Jun. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — More than 1 in 10 South Koreans have used generative artificial intelligence (AI), but many remain concerned about potential personal data leaks, according to a government poll released Thursday. The survey, conducted by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) in November last year, found that 12.3 percent of the 4,581 [...]

Employee Chat Monitoring Raises Privacy Concerns Over Workplace Apps

SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) – Allegations that a famous dog trainer and his wife monitored messages exchanged between employees on a workplace collaboration app called Naver Works have sparked concerns over potential privacy violations involving such programs, which often include messaging capabilities. According to IT industry insiders, Susan Elder, the wife of Kang Hyung-wook, who [...]

Kakao Fined Record 15.1 Bln Won for Leak of Open Chat Users’ Personal Data

SEOUL, May 23 (Korea Bizwire) – The privacy watchdog fined Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea’s dominant mobile messenger, 15.1 billion won (US$11 million) Thursday for the leak of about 65,000 users’ personal data, the highest penalty ever imposed on a domestic firm. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) approved the fine during its [...]

Consumer Group Files Complaints Against Alibaba’s AliExpress and Temu Over Privacy Concerns

SEOUL, Apr. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – The consumer advocacy group Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty (CUCS) has filed complaints against the Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress and Temu with the Jongno Police Station in Seoul. The group alleges violations of South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act and the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization [...]