Seoul: The South Korean foreign ministry announced on Friday that the revised Information and Communications Network Act does not include discriminatory provisions against foreign companies. The ministry emphasized its commitment to ongoing consultations with the United States to address any concerns regarding the legislation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the revised act, which became effective on Tuesday, mandates that major online platform operators, such as Naver, Kakao, Google, Meta, and X, must remove or block false and manipulated information. This development prompted a U.S. State Department spokesperson to caution Seoul against imposing "disproportionate" burdens on American firms, warning that the law's implementation might lead to excessive content regulation and potentially undermine free speech.
The South Korean ministry clarified that the amendment was introduced to mitigate social harms resulting from changes in the digital environment and to enhance user protection. It assured that the legislation respects freedom of expression as guaranteed under the Constitution and does not discriminate against domestic or foreign firms.
The ministry further stated that it has been transparent with the U.S. and other key stakeholders about the legislation's purpose and details and will continue necessary communication with the U.S. side during the implementation process.
The issue may also be addressed during high-level talks between Seoul and Washington, scheduled to occur in the Philippines on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) later this month, according to sources. The discussions might include matters related to the tensions involving e-commerce giant Coupang Inc., which have raised concerns about potential impacts on broader relations between the two allies.
Recently, a U.S. House Judiciary Committee report and a White House official criticized South Korea's regulatory probes into Coupang's massive data leak as discriminatory against U.S. companies. In response, the Seoul government expressed regret over these claims, emphasizing that investigations and regulatory measures concerning Coupang have been carried out "in a fair and non-discriminatory manner" under the law.
Coupang is under public scrutiny and regulatory investigation following a massive data leak affecting over 33 million users in South Korea. The foreign ministry highlighted that South Korea and the U.S. agreed during follow-up consultations in June to accelerate discussions aimed at achieving substantive outcomes. The two sides plan to maintain close contact and hold meetings as necessary.
The ongoing consultations focus on Seoul's efforts to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine and secure capabilities for civil uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, with a second round of talks expected to take place in July.