Sejong, December 30, 2025 —The Korean authority has published a new policy report examining data-related issues in digital markets, focusing on how the use and concentration of data affect market dynamics and consumer outcomes.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission said the report, titled Data and Competition, follows last year’s policy study on generative artificial intelligence and is intended to serve as a reference for shaping future policy in fast-growing digital sectors. The authority described data as a core input in the digital economy, used across business operations for service provision, quality improvement, personalization, and long-term strategic planning.
Data as a Strategic Resource
According to the authority, data plays a dual role in digital markets. While it can promote innovation, improve transparency and support growth, it may also reinforce market power when accumulated and controlled by dominant firms. The authority noted that similar concerns have drawn attention from international bodies such as the OECD and from regulators in the European Union, France, Germany, and Japan, which have carried out market studies or investigations related to data practices.
Research Methodology
In preparing the report, the authority conducted written surveys of domestic and international digital businesses operating in seven sectors — online advertising, social networking services, e-commerce, online search, online messaging, app marketplaces and online video services — between May and July 2025. The work also included 13 individual company interviews, two academic expert roundtables, and close cooperation with the Korean Competition Law Association, which carried out in-depth research on data-related market conditions.
The authority said these efforts were aimed at objectively assessing how data is collected and used in domestic digital markets while reflecting perspectives from both academia and industry.
Policy Outlook
The authority indicated that it will closely monitor conduct related to data that may harm market functioning or consumer interests and will continue to review the need for institutional reforms suited to rapidly changing digital environments.
As a follow-up, the authority plans additional market research focusing on downstream AI services, as part of its broader efforts to establish sound market order in Korea’s digital and AI-driven economy.
