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Impact of Internet Regulation on Technology-based Internet Companies in South Korea and the United States

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Authors

박계영

Advisor
신성호
Major
국제대학원 국제학과
Issue Date
2014-08
Publisher
서울대학교 대학원
Keywords
internet regulationintellectual propertyprivacy rights
Description
학위논문 (석사)-- 서울대학교 국제대학원 : 국제학과, 2014. 8. 신성호.
Abstract
South Korea and the United States are often seen as two of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. In fact, they are both in the top 15% with regards to Internet penetration in each of their countries. This means that the percentage of the total population that uses the Internet is greater than 80%, which is much higher than the world average of approximately 40%. Since these two countries are so entangled in the Internet environment, they also have a plethora of regulations related to the Internet.

South Korea was one of the pioneers of passing laws that specifically address the Internet. Even though it is one of the first nations to pass Internet-specific laws, it has been one of the slowest to change and adapt them to the fast-paced Internet environment. For example, ActiveX is an online security certification system that has cramped the South Korean e-commerce industry from achieving the same amount of success it sees in other developed countries. The United States is more concerned with intellectual property and privacy rights. Many of the Internet companies protest against the various bills that have been passing around Congress with plans that could stifle freedom of speech and privacy all in order to maintain copyright.

This research examined the Internet regulations of both South Korea and the United States to see how Internet companies are affected in their business proceedings. Interviews were conducted with six different Internet-based companies: three established in South Korea and three established in the United States. This was done to identify if the different focuses of Internet regulation in the two countries affect the growth of Internet companies and start-ups.

South Korean companies were found to have been stifled by the Korean Internet regulations and prevented from efficiently entering foreign markets because they had to adhere to antiquated Korean laws. American companies, on the other hand, did not have to worry about adhering to the ActiveX or Real Name Verification issues from the South Korean government. Instead, they were focused on preventing American bills that would make them liable to the content posted by third party users. In addition, the recently proposed net neutrality bills that would allow major corporations access to fast lanes by paying Internet service providers faced backlash from much of the public.

The research found that the current Internet regulation in South Korea is much more restricting than the current Internet regulation in the United States. The United States is trying to prevent cumbersome laws from becoming a reality, but South Korea already is dealing with those issues. Therefore, the types of Internet regulation do have an effect on the business practices Internet companies. South Korean companies in particular are affected tremendously by antiquated regulations that have not kept up-to-date with recent advancement in Internet technology. Some of these issues have also been linked to cultural and social variations between the two cultures.
Language
English
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10371/126260
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