SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has updated its privacy policy to require South Korean users to share personal information — including addresses, phone numbers, and text messages — with 27 companies across six countries.
Under the revised policy, unveiled Friday, users must consent to data sharing with third-party entities in South Korea, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Indonesia as a prerequisite for accessing Temu’s services. The company explicitly states that "users cannot access services if they refuse overseas data transfers."
The policy change comes as Temu prepares for a direct market entry into South Korea, but it has also sparked concerns over data protection and regulatory oversight.
While South Korean law mandates that foreign companies appoint local representatives to oversee data protection, Temu currently has only one full-time employee among three staff members in its Seoul office, according to data from the Korea Communications Commission.
“With artificial intelligence raising concerns about personal data leaks and misuse, some foreign companies have effectively undermined the domestic representative system,” said Park Chung-kwon, a member of the National Assembly. “Urgent legislation is needed to ensure robust enforcement of personal information protection laws.”
South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission, which last year fined AliExpress 1.9 billion won for violating data transfer procedures, is expected to conclude its investigation into Temu’s practices in the coming months.
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