Notice

Data adequacy agreement in principle between the UK and Republic of Korea

Published 5 July 2022

  1. Today’s agreement is an important milestone in the strengthening of cooperation between the UK and Republic of Korea.  The promotion of the trustworthy use and exchange of data across borders is key to realising a more secure and prosperous future for our citizens, businesses, and governments.

  2. We warmly welcome the work of our governments that has led to this agreement and look forward to our continued collaboration to deepen and broaden our partnership on data. Today’s UK data adequacy decision in principle follows nearly a year’s worth of positive, productive, and enlightening discussions on how our respective nations value, protect, and promote the protection of personal data.

  3. We agree that the protection of personal data and free flow of personal data across borders can be mutually reinforcing priorities. Our governments’ commitments and work underpin the important role for the trustworthy use of data in international commerce, innovation, and research as well as in empowering and protecting individuals and in sustaining democratic and peaceful societies.

  4. As democratic and like-minded partners seized of the importance of these issues, we agree to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable global data ecosystem based on free and safe data flows.  This begins with our bilateral partnership and we agree to work together on the direction and improvement of data frameworks for the digital age, noting ongoing initiatives in our respective countries, such as the UK’s National Data Strategy and proposed reforms to the UK GDPR and the Republic of Korea’s proposed amendments to the Personal Information Protection Act.

  5. We recognise the importance of designing and delivering more scalable solutions that meet the global challenges and opportunities on data.  We agree to work with our other strategic partners on multilateral initiatives, such as the Global CBPR Forum and the OECD’s work on Trusted Government Access to Data.

Signed by:

Julia Lopez MP, Minister of State for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure, DCMS

Dr. Jong In Yoon, Chairperson, Personal Information Protection Commission