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South Korean Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)

View Law Text
Maximum Fine
3% of revenue
Scope
National
Regulator
PIPC
Enacted
2011

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Overview

The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) establishes comprehensive requirements for the protection of personal information in South Korea, enforced by the Personal Information Protection Commission.

Key Facts

  • Enacted in 2011, major amendments in 2020
  • Enforced by Personal Information Protection Commission
  • Includes strict consent requirements

Key Principles

Collection and Use Limitation

Personal information must be collected and used only with specific consent and for legitimate purposes.

Requirements

  • Obtain specific consent
  • Specify purposes
  • Minimize collection
  • Document justification
  • Regular reviews

Examples

  • Consent mechanisms
  • Purpose statements
  • Collection forms
  • Documentation records

Security Safeguards

Implementation of technical, administrative, and physical measures to protect personal information.

Requirements

  • Implement security controls
  • Access management
  • Encryption requirements
  • Regular audits
  • Incident response

Examples

  • Security policies
  • Access controls
  • Encryption measures
  • Audit reports

Transparency and Rights

Organizations must be transparent about processing and respect data subject rights.

Requirements

  • Privacy notices
  • Rights procedures
  • Access mechanisms
  • Correction processes
  • Deletion procedures

Examples

  • Privacy policies
  • Rights request forms
  • Access procedures
  • Correction mechanisms

Compliance Requirements

Privacy Officer Appointment

Organizations must appoint a Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) to oversee data protection.

Implementation Steps

  • Appoint qualified CPO
  • Define responsibilities
  • Ensure independence
  • Provide resources
  • Document appointment

Required Documentation

  • CPO appointment letter
  • Role description
  • Resource allocation
  • Training records
  • Activity reports

Overseas Transfer Requirements

Requirements for transferring personal information outside Korea.

Implementation Steps

  • Obtain separate consent
  • Implement safeguards
  • Document transfers
  • Monitor compliance
  • Regular assessments

Required Documentation

  • Transfer consent records
  • Safeguard documentation
  • Transfer logs
  • Assessment reports
  • Monitoring records

Enforcement & Penalties

Administrative Penalties

The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) can impose significant administrative penalties.

Penalty Categories

Severe Violations
Up to 3% of revenue
For serious breaches of PIPA requirements
Corrective Orders
Mandatory Changes
Orders to implement specific measures
Administrative Fines
Up to KRW 50M
For administrative violations

Example Cases

Facebook
KRW 6.7B
2020 - Unauthorized sharing of personal information
Microsoft
KRW 3.4B
2020 - Collection of personal information without consent

Criminal Penalties

Serious violations may result in criminal prosecution.

Penalty Categories

Intentional Violations
Up to 5 years imprisonment
For deliberate violations of PIPA
Data Theft
Up to KRW 50M fine
For theft or misuse of personal information
False Registration
Up to KRW 30M fine
For providing false information

Example Cases

Data Leak Case
Criminal Charges
2021 - Intentional leak of customer data
Privacy Violation
KRW 40M
2022 - Unauthorized collection of sensitive data