Data protection is Line Yahoo Japan’s responsibility: Naver

[Courtesy of Naver Corp.]

Naver Corp. has clarified to the South Korean government that the responsibility for enhancing data protection measures for Line Yahoo in Japan rests with the Japanese entity, not Naver itself. This stance comes amid increasing scrutiny from the Japanese government towards Line Yahoo following a privacy data breach late in 2023.

Sources from the information technology sector and government officials revealed on Sunday that Naver responded to an official inquiry from the Ministry of Science and ICT with a clear message: “Security enhancement issues should be addressed primarily in Japan, centered around Line Yahoo.”

The South Korean government previously inquired if there were areas in which it could support Naver in strengthening its security systems. Naver’s response indicates that the company views the responsibility for these measures as lying with Line Yahoo in Japan, suggesting that the level of cooperative action between the private sector and the Korean government will not intensify for the time being.