Cross-border Data Transfer
Hong Kong Commercial and Maritime Law Centre
School of Law, City University of Hong Kong
&
Asian Institute of International Financial Law
Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong
Cross-border Data Transfer: Key Takeaways from the European Commission’s Adequacy Decision for Korea (2021) and the Data Privacy Framework for the US (2023)
23 September 2024
In the digitalised world, data has become a critical resource for businesses. With companies relying on data to improve operations and enhance user experiences, cross-border data transfers have become complex, particularly when transferring data to jurisdictions with weaker data protection regulations. The European Union (EU), known for its General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’), leads in data regulation. The EU allows data transfers to countries outside its borders if these countries provide an “adequate” level of data protection. This presentation explores the EU Commission’s adequacy decisions for Korea and the US (‘the EU-US Data Privacy Framework’), compares the respective data protection regimes, and addresses the legal challenges that arise in cross-border data transfers within the evolving digital landscape. By examining the standard of “adequacy” in both jurisdictions, this presentation also offers insights for other jurisdictions considering an adequacy decision with the EU Commission.
About the Speaker
Judge Dr. Min Kyung Kim has been sitting as a judge in Korea since 2010. Her main expertise lies in cross-border commercial matters as she sat in the International Commercial Division at the Seoul Central District Court. She has authored Overriding Mandatory Rules in International Commercial Disputes: Korean and Comparative Law (Hart Publishing, forthcoming in 2024). Judge Kim serves as an Honorary Fellow at the Asian Institute of International Financial Law and is the general editor of the Korean Journal of International Trade and Business Law. She has taught courses on international commercial arbitration and litigation at the University of Hong Kong, National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University. She holds a BA, MA and PhD from Seoul National University and an LLM from the University of Cambridge (Queens’ College).
Co-Chairs:
Professor Alexander Loke, Director, Hong Kong Commercial and Maritime Law Centre, City University of Hong Kong
Professor Emily Lee, Director, Asian Institute of International Financial Law, The University of Hong Kong
Enquiries: Flora Leung at aiiflhku@hku.hk