K-PIPA
South Korea's stringent regulation for personal data protection
COPPA
U.S. federal law protecting children's online privacy under 13
Quick Verdict
K-PIPA mandates comprehensive data protection for all Korean residents' info with granular consent and CPOs, while COPPA requires parental consent for US children's online data. Companies adopt K-PIPA for Korea market access, COPPA to avoid massive FTC fines.
K-PIPA
Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)
Key Features
- Mandates independent Chief Privacy Officers for all handlers
- Requires granular explicit consent for sensitive data transfers
- Enforces 72-hour breach notifications to subjects and regulators
- Applies extraterritorially to foreign entities targeting Koreans
- Imposes fines up to 3% of annual global revenue
COPPA
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
Key Features
- Requires verifiable parental consent before data collection
- Targets operators serving children under age 13
- Broad personal information definition including persistent IDs
- Mandates privacy notices and data security measures
- FTC enforcement with up to $43,792 per-violation fines
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
K-PIPA Details
What It Is
K-PIPA, or Personal Information Protection Act, is South Korea's comprehensive data protection regulation enacted in 2011 with major amendments in 2020, 2023, and 2024. It governs collection, use, storage, transfer, and destruction of personal information, including sensitive data and unique identifiers, for all data handlers—domestic and foreign. Its consent-centric, risk-based approach emphasizes transparency, minimization, and accountability enforced by the PIPC.
Key Components
- **Core principlesTransparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, explicit consent.
- **ObligationsMandatory CPOs, granular consents, 10-day data subject rights, security per 2024 guidelines.
- **Security & breachesEncryption, access controls, 72-hour notifications.
- No certification model; compliance via PIPC enforcement with fines up to 3% revenue.
Why Organizations Use It
- Legal mandate for handlers of Korean data to avoid fines (e.g., Google's $50M penalty).
- Builds trust, enables market access, mitigates risks from breaches.
- Strategic for global firms via EU adequacy, fostering innovation with pseudonymization.
Implementation Overview
- **Phased approachGap analysis, CPO appointment, data mapping, technical controls, training, audits.
- Applies to all sizes/industries processing Korean residents' data; extraterritorial.
- No formal certification; ongoing PIPC compliance via self-assessments and notifications.
COPPA Details
What It Is
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a U.S. federal regulation enacted in 1998, effective 2000, enforced by the FTC. It protects children under 13 from unauthorized online data collection by commercial websites, apps, and services targeting kids or knowingly collecting their data. Employs a consent-based, parent-controlled approach with strict obligations.
Key Components
- Verifiable parental consent (VPC) via methods like credit cards or video calls.
- Broad personal information definition: names, geolocation, persistent IDs, audio/video.
- Privacy notices, data security, access/review/deletion rights, minimization.
- Safe harbor self-regulatory programs; based on 16 CFR Part 312.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory compliance to avoid $43,792 per-violation fines.
- Builds parental trust, reduces breach risks.
- Essential for edtech, gaming, child-directed services.
- Enhances reputation amid rising enforcement.
Implementation Overview
- Analyze audience, post policies, deploy age gates/VPC.
- Global applicability for U.S.-targeted services.
- No certification; FTC audits safe harbors.
Key Differences
| Aspect | K-PIPA | COPPA |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | All personal data processing, general privacy | Children's online data under 13 only |
| Industry | All sectors, South Korea residents globally | Online services targeting US children |
| Nature | Mandatory national law, PIPC enforcement | Mandatory US federal law, FTC enforced |
| Testing | CPO audits, security guidelines, no DPIA | Safe harbor audits, parental consent verification |
| Penalties | 3% revenue fines, up to 5 years prison | $43,792 per violation civil penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about K-PIPA and COPPA
K-PIPA FAQ
COPPA FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
SEC Cybersecurity Rules Implementation Guide: Mastering Form 8-K Item 1.05 Materiality Determination and 4-Business-Day Reporting Workflow
Master SEC Form 8-K Item 1.05 compliance with step-by-step materiality assessment, incident workflows & Inline XBRL tagging. Beat the 4-business-day clock. Esse
Your Compliance Command Center: How Modern Tools Orchestrate Cross-Departmental Adherence
Unlock your compliance command center with modern tools for real-time monitoring, automation & integrations across IT, HR, Legal & Finance. Slash non-compliance
CMMC Level 2 Implementation Guide for Small DIB Contractors: First 5 Steps to C3PAO Certification with Infographic
Actionable CMMC Level 2 guide for small DIB contractors: 5-step roadmap to C3PAO certification with infographic on timelines, costs & POA&Ms. Achieve DoD compli
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
BREEAM vs REACH
Compare BREEAM vs REACH: Decode sustainability certification & EU chemicals regulation. Master compliance, cut costs, boost ESG ratings. Optimize your strategy now.
U.S. SEC Cybersecurity Rules vs ISO 22301
Compare U.S. SEC cybersecurity rules—4-day incident disclosures & governance—with ISO 22301 BCMS resilience. Uncover synergies, gaps & strategies for compliant cyber defense. Act now!
HIPAA vs CIS Controls
Compare HIPAA vs CIS Controls: Align privacy rules, ePHI safeguards & cyber hygiene for healthcare resilience. Uncover gaps, boost compliance—secure your strategy today.