President Lee Jae-myung addressed concerns over South Korea's personal data breach penalties on July 16, defending the government's enforcement approach amid international criticism. Speaking at the Personal Information Protection Commission briefing at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee stated that companies should be fully informed that fines are imposed according to law and policy without targeting specific firms. The remarks follow diplomatic tensions after the White House expressed concerns about South Korea allegedly targeting US tech companies, including Coupang, which received a 624.6 billion won fine last month for a massive data breach.
President Lee Defends Fine Enforcement Policy
President Lee directly addressed corporate complaints about increased penalty amounts during the briefing. "Recently, the scale of fines has grown, and there seem to be companies claiming 'aren't you targeting only me,'" Lee stated. He emphasized that the government should provide sufficient explanation that enforcement actions are conducted strictly according to law and policy without considering individual company characteristics.
The president's comments are interpreted as addressing the political and diplomatic controversy surrounding the Coupang case. His statements come as the issue has escalated beyond domestic regulatory matters into international relations concerns.
Coupang Receives 624.6 Billion Won Penalty
The Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a 624.6 billion won fine on Coupang last month for a large-scale personal data breach incident. The penalty represents one of the largest enforcement actions taken by South Korean regulators for data protection violations.
![President Lee Jae-myung speaking at Cheong Wa Dae briefing on July 16]()
President Lee Jae-myung speaking at the ministerial briefing held at Cheong Wa Dae Yeongbingwan on July 16. [Cheong Wa Dae Communication Press Corps]
White House Raises Concerns Over US Tech Firms
Following the Coupang penalty, the White House issued a statement expressing ongoing concerns to the South Korean government. "The US government has continuing concerns with the Korean government regarding regulations and law enforcement that target or discriminate against US technology companies, including Coupang," the White House stated.
President Criticizes Corporate Data Protection Attitudes
President Lee criticized corporate approaches to personal data protection during the briefing. "In the personal information protection area, related companies have somewhat less interest, and when breaches occur, they patch things up moderately because it costs less than security expenses, so they essentially neglect it, leading to continuous incidents and eventually large-scale breach accidents," Lee stated.
He added that there could be many data breaches that remain unknown. "We must significantly raise sanctions for personal information leaks or misuse as we have set in our policy, making them far exceed personal information protection costs, so that companies will actually conduct data protection activities," the president emphasized.
FAQ
What did President Lee say about data breach fines on July 16?
President Lee Jae-myung stated during a Personal Information Protection Commission briefing at Cheong Wa Dae that companies should be fully informed that fines are imposed according to law and policy without targeting specific firms. He addressed corporate complaints about increased penalty amounts and emphasized that enforcement follows established legal frameworks.
Why did the White House express concerns about South Korea's tech regulations?
The White House issued a statement expressing ongoing concerns to the South Korean government regarding regulations and law enforcement that allegedly target or discriminate against US technology companies, including Coupang. This followed the Personal Information Protection Commission's imposition of a 624.6 billion won fine on Coupang last month for a large-scale personal data breach.
How does President Lee view corporate data protection practices?
President Lee criticized companies for having insufficient interest in personal data protection, stating that firms often neglect security because patching breaches costs less than implementing proper protection measures. He emphasized the need to significantly raise sanctions to exceed protection costs, forcing companies to actively conduct data protection activities.
