TAPP Signs Onto Coalition Letter Calling for President Trump to End Korea’s Discriminatory Digital Trade Practices

The Trade Alliance to Promote Prosperity recently joined 10 coalition partners in signing a letter urging President Trump to reject Korea’s discriminatory digital trade practices.

In part, the letter said, "The Republic of Korea has imposed a series of discriminatory barriers to digital trade that limit market access and restrict American competitiveness in the country. These policies disproportionately impact American technology firms, some of which are effectively barred from offering their world-class services in specific sectors in Korea.

American companies are further disadvantaged by strict data localization requirements put in place for “security concerns,” which prevent access to Korea’s $7.6 billion location-based services market. Among these is an approval requirement for the export of mapping data —for which no American company has ever been granted. Instead, the ROK has responded with completely unworkable demands that add significant operational burdens to American companies while failing to actually enhance security, making it clear they are simply trying to protect domestic competitors. These restrictions prevent the free flow of information necessary to innovate and punish American companies that rely on overseas data processing to provide their services."

Read the full letter here.