Data Watchdog Nears Completion of Investigation into Chinese E-Commerce Giants; Results Coming Soon

In April, the watchdog required AliExpress, Temu and about eight other Chinese internet companies to faithfully comply with South Korea's privacy law. (Photo courtesy of Yonhap)

In April, the watchdog demanded that AliExpress, Temu and about eight other Chinese internet companies faithfully comply with South Korea’s privacy law. (Photo courtesy of Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 1 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s data protection authority is nearing the end of its investigation into Chinese e-commerce companies AliExpress and Temu over consumer data protection and will likely take action soon after announcing the results of the investigation, its chief said on Monday.

The investigation into the two companies “has ended,” Ko Hak-soo, chairman of the Personal Data Protection Committee, said during a regular briefing at the National Assembly.

The investigation comes amid growing concerns about data protection measures employed by Chinese internet platforms, as their use among South Koreans continues to rise.

“We will present our findings at the next general meeting, where a decision will be made,” he said. The commission had initially planned to complete its investigation by mid-year. Ko said the delay was attributed to procedural reasons.

He also cited challenges facing the investigation due to their short history of operations in Korea and limited documentation related to their business activities.

In April, the watchdog required AliExpress, Temu and about eight other Chinese internet companies to faithfully comply with South Korea’s privacy law as Chinese e-commerce companies quickly became major players in South Korea.

(Jonhap)