South Korea’s Digital Regulations Align with EU’s Digital Markets Act Standards

1. Introduction

The rapid expansion of digital platforms has transformed the structure of the global economy. Online platforms increasingly function as central gateways through which users access digital services, conduct commerce, and interact socially. As their scale and influence grow, policymakers around the world have begun reassessing how regulatory frameworks should evolve to address the structural power of large technology platforms.

In recent years, the global policy debate has shifted toward stronger platform accountability. Concerns regarding market dominance, data governance, algorithmic transparency, and the societal impact of digital platforms have prompted governments to explore new approaches to digital regulation.

Within this context, the European Union has played a leading role in developing comprehensive regulatory mechanisms for digital markets. The adoption of the Digital Markets Act introduced a new framework for identifying dominant digital “gatekeepers” and imposing obligations designed to maintain fair competition and transparency in platform ecosystems.

Against this backdrop, South Korea has implemented a series of policy initiatives aimed at strengthening oversight of major digital platforms. These policies have attracted international attention, particularly regarding their potential impact on large global technology companies.

However, a closer examination suggests that Korea’s regulatory framework should be understood within the broader context of global digital governance. Many of the principles embedded in Korea’s policies closely resemble those already implemented in Europe and reflect a growing international consensus on the need for updated digital market rules.

This report evaluates South Korea’s digital regulatory framework and compares its structure and objectives with those established under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The analysis seeks to clarify how Korea’s policies align with emerging global regulatory standards and what implications this alignment holds for the future of digital governance.

2. Global Trends in Digital Platform Governance

Digital platforms have evolved into central pillars of the modern economy. Their services connect billions of users, facilitate international commerce, and provide the infrastructure through which information circulates globally. As a result, concerns about the concentration of power within a small number of technology firms have grown significantly.

Across many jurisdictions, policymakers have begun to recognize that traditional competition law alone may be insufficient to address the structural characteristics of digital platform markets. Platform ecosystems often exhibit strong network effects, high switching costs, and the accumulation of vast amounts of data, all of which can reinforce market dominance.

Consequently, governments have begun exploring new regulatory approaches designed specifically for the digital platform environment. These frameworks seek to ensure fair competition, promote innovation, and protect users while maintaining the openness of digital markets.

The European Union has emerged as one of the most influential actors in shaping this new regulatory landscape. Through legislative initiatives and enforcement actions led by the European Commission, the EU has introduced rules aimed at increasing transparency, preventing anti-competitive conduct, and limiting the power of dominant platforms.

This evolving regulatory environment has encouraged other economies to reassess their own digital governance strategies. Increasingly, national policies are being developed in ways that reflect shared principles and common policy objectives.

3. The European Benchmark: The Digital Markets Act

The Digital Markets Act represents one of the most comprehensive attempts to regulate large digital platforms. The legislation introduces a regulatory system designed specifically to address the structural influence of dominant digital companies.

Central to the DMA framework is the concept of “gatekeepers.” These are large digital platforms that serve as critical intermediaries between businesses and consumers. Because of their strategic position in digital markets, gatekeepers can potentially shape market outcomes, influence competition, and control access to digital ecosystems.

Under the DMA, companies designated as gatekeepers must comply with a range of obligations designed to ensure fairness and transparency in digital markets. These obligations include requirements related to interoperability, data access, transparency in advertising systems, and restrictions on certain anti-competitive practices.

The goal of these measures is not to limit innovation but to ensure that digital markets remain open and contestable. By addressing structural imbalances in platform ecosystems, the DMA aims to create conditions that encourage competition while protecting users and businesses that rely on digital platforms.

Because of its comprehensive scope and regulatory clarity, the DMA has increasingly become a reference point for policymakers worldwide seeking to modernize digital market governance.

4. South Korea’s Emerging Digital Regulatory Framework

South Korea has long maintained one of the world’s most advanced digital economies. With high internet penetration, sophisticated e-commerce markets, and globally competitive technology companies, the country has significant experience managing complex digital ecosystems.

In recent years, Korean policymakers have introduced measures designed to address the growing influence of large digital platforms. These policies aim to ensure fair competition, enhance transparency in platform operations, and protect users within the digital marketplace.

Several key themes characterize Korea’s emerging regulatory framework. First, the policies emphasize transparency in platform governance, including greater visibility into algorithms, advertising systems, and data practices. Second, they seek to prevent the abuse of dominant market positions by ensuring that platforms do not unfairly disadvantage competitors or partners within their ecosystems.

Additionally, Korean regulators have focused on emerging risks associated with artificial intelligence and digital content, including deepfakes and misinformation. These initiatives reflect broader efforts to safeguard citizens’ rights in an increasingly complex digital environment.

Taken together, these policy initiatives illustrate South Korea’s commitment to developing a regulatory framework capable of balancing innovation with accountability.

5. Comparative Analysis: South Korea and the EU DMA

A comparative analysis of South Korea’s regulatory framework and the EU’s Digital Markets Act reveals significant similarities in both policy objectives and regulatory logic.

Both frameworks recognize that large digital platforms can function as structural gatekeepers within online ecosystems. As a result, both systems emphasize the need for obligations that ensure fair competition and prevent the abuse of market power.

One area of alignment involves interoperability and openness within digital ecosystems. By encouraging compatibility between services and reducing barriers to switching platforms, both regulatory approaches aim to preserve competitive dynamics within digital markets.

Another area of convergence concerns transparency. Both regulatory frameworks emphasize the importance of ensuring that users, businesses, and regulators have access to sufficient information about platform practices, including data usage and algorithmic decision-making.

These similarities suggest that South Korea’s policies are not unique or isolated. Rather, they reflect broader regulatory principles that are increasingly shared among advanced digital economies.

6. Equal Application of Regulation Across Market Actors

A key principle underlying South Korea’s digital regulatory framework is that rules should apply equally to companies based on their market influence rather than their national origin.

This principle ensures that both international technology companies and domestic platforms are subject to the same regulatory standards. Large global firms such as Apple, Google, and Meta Platforms may fall within the scope of these rules due to their significant presence in digital markets.

At the same time, major Korean platforms—including Naver and Kakao—are also subject to regulatory oversight when their market influence reaches similar levels.

By applying rules based on objective criteria such as market power and platform reach, Korean policymakers aim to create a fair and competitive digital ecosystem.

7. Digital Human Rights and Platform Safety

Beyond competition policy, digital regulation increasingly addresses broader societal concerns related to the role of platforms in public life.

Online platforms now function as key channels for information dissemination, political discourse, and social interaction. Consequently, their governance practices can have significant implications for democratic institutions, public safety, and individual rights.

South Korea’s regulatory initiatives reflect growing international attention to issues such as misinformation, harmful content, and the misuse of artificial intelligence technologies. Efforts to address AI-generated deepfakes and other forms of digital manipulation are intended to protect citizens from emerging technological risks.

These policies emphasize that platforms managing large-scale digital environments have responsibilities that extend beyond purely commercial considerations.

8. Reframing the Narrative: From Trade Conflict to Infrastructure Governance

International debates surrounding digital regulation often intersect with broader economic and geopolitical concerns. In some cases, regulatory initiatives targeting dominant platforms have been interpreted as potential sources of trade tension.

However, framing digital regulation primarily through the lens of trade conflict risks overlooking the structural challenges posed by the platform economy. Increasingly, policymakers view digital platforms as critical infrastructure that supports economic activity and social interaction.

From this perspective, regulatory frameworks are designed not to target specific companies or countries but to ensure that digital infrastructure operates safely, transparently, and fairly.

Understanding digital regulation in this broader context allows for a more accurate assessment of its objectives and policy rationale.

9. Policy Implications for Global Digital Governance

The alignment between South Korea’s regulatory approach and the principles embedded in the EU’s Digital Markets Act highlights the emergence of converging international standards in digital governance.

As digital markets become increasingly interconnected, regulatory coordination among major economies will play an important role in maintaining stable and predictable rules for global technology companies.

South Korea’s experience illustrates how national regulatory frameworks can evolve in ways that reflect shared global principles while addressing domestic policy priorities.

Such convergence may contribute to the development of a more coherent international framework for digital market governance in the years ahead.

10. Conclusion

The global digital economy is entering a period of significant regulatory transformation. Governments around the world are developing new policy tools to address the growing influence of large digital platforms and ensure that digital markets remain competitive, transparent, and safe.

This report finds that South Korea’s emerging digital regulatory framework closely aligns with the principles established by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. These policies focus on market influence, transparency, and platform accountability, rather than targeting companies based on nationality.

As a result, South Korea’s approach should be understood not as an isolated regulatory initiative but as part of a broader international movement to modernize digital governance and strengthen the foundations of the digital economy.