Digital Economy Alliance: "Government and Ruling Party Must Halt Promotion of Onple Act"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The Digital Economy Alliance (DEA) called on June 22 to halt the push for legislation regulating online platforms. The DEA is a coalition formed by seven organizations including the Korea Internet Corporations Association, Korea Fintech Industry Association, Korea Startup Forum, Korea Game Industry Association, Korea Digital Advertising Association, Korea Online Shopping Association, and the Venture Business Association.

In a statement released that day, the DEA expressed concerns over the hasty review and establishment of online platform regulations such as the Online Platform Fairness Act, which the government and ruling party are trying to push through via party-government consultations. They urged the creation of an environment where social consensus efforts can be prioritized based on careful consideration.

The group further stated, "There must first be a process of providing explanations and gaining understanding from the public, who are the subjects of compliance, based on thorough analysis and evidence of why and how certain systems are difficult to operate." They argued that regulations should not be based on results derived from exaggerating or overinterpreting one-sided claims amid divided social interests.

The DEA added, "Members of the digital economy ecosystem have begun to fully recognize the issues arising from digital transformation, and as the ecosystem smartly evolves, it will be difficult to reflect changes through rigid legal regulations introduced without sufficient analysis." They proposed activating and supporting the introduction of industry self-regulation.

The DEA said, "Rushing online platform regulations ahead of elections is no different from the National Assembly and government listening only to one side and attempting to introduce regulations whose side effects are difficult to gauge." They noted that 1.2 million digital economy workers view such irresponsible legal regulatory attempts with great seriousness and disappointment.

They emphasized, "The National Assembly and government must immediately halt legislative efforts within the regular session," and added, "sufficient discussions must be held to reach social consensus so that online platform laws can be enacted and implemented by the next government."

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