U.S. Republican lawmakers, who have previously accused the South Korean government of discriminating against American companies like Coupang, are now raising concerns about the revised cybersecurity law. They claim the South Korean government could use this law to demand the removal of posts from American platforms such as Google, Meta, and X.
On August 6, members of the House Judiciary Committee, including Chairman Jim Jordan, Scott Fitzgerald, Darrell Issa, and Michael Baumgartner, sent a letter to Kim Jong-cheol, the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission. Jordan shared the letter via X.
The lawmakers argued that the revised cybersecurity law lacks clear criteria for determining which posts are considered misinformation and under what circumstances they should be removed. They expressed concern that the South Korean government could use this law to block opinions that are politically sensitive or unfavorable to them.
They specifically noted that platforms operated by American companies like Google, Meta, and X could be significantly impacted by the law. If the South Korean government demands the removal or blocking of certain posts, it could restrict the expression of American users.
The lawmakers criticized the revised law for imposing obligations on platforms to handle illegal and false information, similar to the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), stating, "South Korea is following in the footsteps of the EU."
However, the revised law does outline criteria for what constitutes false or manipulated information, regulating actions that spread such information with the intent to harm others or gain unfair advantages. The law has been in effect since July 7.
The lawmakers have requested that the South Korean government clarify by August 20 how the law will be applied and what impact it will have on American companies.
Last month, Jordan's House Judiciary Committee released a report alleging that the South Korean government had conducted discriminatory investigations and sanctions against American companies like Coupang. The South Korean government has denied these allegations, asserting that relevant laws and regulations apply equally to both domestic and foreign companies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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