[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] On October 30, Vice Chair Choi Jang-hyuk of Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) expressed strong determination to win ongoing lawsuits against global tech giants Google and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram). Speaking at a regular press briefing held at the Government Complex Seoul, Choi stated, "I recently attended the hearing for the Meta lawsuit and plan to do the same for Google to show the court our government's commitment to winning these cases."

The lawsuits were triggered when PIPC imposed a fine of 100 billion won and issued corrective orders in late 2022 against Google and Meta for allegedly collecting personal data illegally. Both companies filed administrative lawsuits against PIPC in response.

Despite the commission’s resolve, it faces a significant challenge going up against the vast resources of global corporations. Choi compared the situation to a "David and Goliath battle," noting PIPC’s limited annual litigation budget of 400 million won compared to the "limitless resources" of tech giants.

The commission has also faced difficulties in securing a law firm willing to represent them, as many firms are hesitant to take on global corporate clients. To address this, Choi shared that he is personally attending the lawsuits to demonstrate sincerity and that PIPC has established a new litigation team for enhanced support.

With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and big data, PIPC’s responsibilities have grown significantly since its establishment in 2020. However, with only 170 personnel, the agency faces challenges in managing its workload effectively.

Beyond legal staffing, PIPC also needs accounting expertise for cases involving international corporations. In July, PIPC imposed a fine of 1.98 billion won and other penalties on Chinese e-commerce giant AliExpress for violating Korea’s privacy laws. In contrast, their investigation into Temu, another Chinese e-commerce company, has been delayed due to challenges in assessing its sales.

 

 

 

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