What It Is

K-PIPA (Personal Information Protection Act) is South Korea's primary 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. Adopting a consent-centric, risk-based approach, it emphasizes transparency, purpose limitation, and data minimization.

Key Components

• Core principles: explicit consent, security safeguards, data subject rights.
• Mandatory CPO appointment, technical controls (encryption, access logs), breach response.
• No fixed control count; obligations scale by entity size (e.g., large handlers notify PIPC).
• PIPC enforcement with revenue-based fines up to 3%.

Why Organizations Use It

Compliance avoids fines (e.g., Google's $50M penalty), builds trust in privacy-sensitive markets, enables EU data flows via adequacy. Mitigates risks from breaches, supports AI/innovation via pseudonymization, enhances reputation.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, governance (CPO), technical controls, training, audits. Applies to all processing Korean data; no certification but PIPC guidelines/ISMS-P. Large entities need domestic reps; 12-18 months typical for multinationals.

What It Is

The WELL Building Standard (WELL v2) is a performance-based certification framework administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). It focuses on designing, operating, and verifying buildings to advance human health and well-being through evidence-based strategies. Its approach combines mandatory Preconditions with optional Optimizations across 10 concepts.

Key Components

• **10 core conceptsAir, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community (plus Innovation).
• 24 Preconditions (mandatory) and 102 Optimizations (points-based).
• Built on public health and building science research.
• Certification tiers: Bronze (40 points), Silver (50), Gold (60), Platinum (80), with concept minimums at higher levels.

Why Organizations Use It

• Enhances occupant productivity, retention, and ESG reporting.
• Differentiates assets with verified health outcomes.
• Mitigates risks like poor IEQ; boosts rents and values.
• Builds stakeholder trust via rigorous verification.

Implementation Overview

• Phased: gap analysis, scorecard, documentation, on-site verification, recertification every 3 years.
• Applies to new/existing buildings, all sizes/industries.
• Requires third-party review and performance testing.