Venture Business Association: "Byunhyeop Protects Only Established Lawyers... Hindering Legal Market Innovation"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea Venture Business Association criticized the Korea Bar Association's sanctions against the online legal platform service (LawTalk) and urged the government to actively mediate to prevent a 'second Tada incident' from recurring.

On the 10th, the Korea Venture Business Association issued a statement saying, "The Bar Association announced that it would revise the lawyer advertising regulations and discipline lawyers advertising on online legal platforms," adding, "This appears to be an intention to block the expansion of platform services and the legal tech market, protecting only the existing vested-interest lawyers."

It continued, "We have witnessed the unfortunate reality where innovative new industries fall behind and are stranded whenever conflicts arise between existing industries and new industries," and expressed serious concern that the Bar Association's sanctions might lead to incidents similar to the past 'Tada' case.

It also pointed out that "this behavior hinders public access to legal services and obstructs innovation in the legal market, ultimately acting against the development and advancement of the legal service market."

The Korea Venture Business Association explained that public competition and price rationalization through online legal platform services could increase consumer benefits.

Judge hammer or gavel with smartphone on white background. Justice and law concept. Selective focus.

Regarding the Bar Association's preparation of its own online legal platform service, the association criticized, "It is incomprehensible logic that while criticizing existing online legal platforms as 'online brokers' and initiating disciplinary procedures against member lawyers, they themselves intend to run the same business."

It added, "We question whether a nonprofit organization with a strong public character should participate in the innovative market pioneered by the private sector to the extent of undermining the innovation ecosystem," emphasizing, "Core know-how and capabilities painstakingly built in the private sector must not be destroyed by existing vested interests."

Finally, the Korea Venture Business Association stated, "To achieve the development and advancement of the legal service market, legal tech must be activated through the active introduction of ICT technology," and expressed hope that "the government will actively and promptly mediate to prevent a second Tada incident, turning this into an opportunity for the Korean legal service market to advance to the next level."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.