Privacy watchdog recommends KakaoTalk, other 'super apps' to strengthen user data protection measures
Personal Information Protection Commission Chairperson Ko Hak-soo speaks during the watchdog's meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The privacy watchdog said Thursday it has recommended the country's five major mobile applications, including popular messaging service KakaoTalk, to improve measures in handling user information.
The Personal Information Protection Commission also made the recommendation to online portal Naver, e-commerce giant Coupang, delivery service Baedal Minjok and used goods marketplace Karrot, after conducting an inspection on the popular "super apps."
Super apps, which refer to applications that offer multiple services within a single app, such as shopping, delivery and payments, have recently faced scrutiny over their management of user information as they link various service providers.
The watchdog said it did not find any legal violations from the latest inspection, but recommended the apps to strengthen their management of transfer and linking points of user information.
It also said that company officials in charge of user information protection should take part in decisions related to external transfers of personal data.