South Korea probes consumer data practices of Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress, Temu

The data protection watchdog has been probing foreign e-commerce platforms since last month, after a parliament audit last year raised questions about data handling

It is checking the appropriateness of their personal information processing policies, overseas transfers, and safety measures

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South Korea’s personal data protection watchdog said it is looking into consumer data practices of Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpres and Temu. Photos: Shutterstock

Published: 6:30pm, 7 Mar 2024Updated: 3:28pm, 9 Apr 2024

South Korea’s personal data protection watchdog on Thursday said it is looking into consumer data practices of major overseas shopping platforms, as use of Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba Group Holding's AliExpress and PDD Holdings' Temu have jumped in the country.

Alibaba also owns the South China Morning Post.

The Personal Information Protection Commission said it has been investigating overseas e-commerce platforms since last month, after a parliament audit last year raised questions about data handling by platforms such as AliExpress and discount e-commerce platform Temu.

It is checking the appropriateness of their personal information processing policies, overseas transfers, and safety measures, and will take steps if there are any violations of South Korean law, the commission said in a statement.

The announcement follows South Korea’s antitrust regulator, Fair Trade Commission (FTC), sending inspectors to the office of AliExpress’s South Korean unit last week to investigate the platform’s consumer protection practices, according to Yonhap news agency.

The FTC, Alibaba and Temu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

South Koreans’ e-commerce purchases from China, including from platforms like AliExpress and Temu, rose 121 per cent on year in 2023 to 3.3 trillion won (US$2.48 billion), taking up nearly half of its total overseas e-commerce purchases, according to Statistics Korea data.