South Korea

Can I request deletion of my personal data?

PIPA Art. 36
Legal basis
5 business days
Response deadline
Free of charge
No fee required
Written form
Request method
The Short Answer

Yes, you can request deletion of your personal data under South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and the data controller must comply without undue delay.

What the Law Says

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) grants individuals a clear right to request deletion of their personal data held by data controllers.

Under Article 36 of the Personal Information Protection Act, data subjects may request the deletion of their personal information from a personal information handler.

The handler must comply with the request without undue delay — and in any case, within five business days of receiving it — unless an exception applies.

This right applies regardless of whether the data was collected lawfully or unlawfully, and no fee may be charged for processing the request.

The request must be made in writing (including electronic means such as email), and the handler must confirm receipt and provide written notice of the outcome.

Statutory Text

A data subject may request a personal information handler to delete his/her personal information.

— Personal Information Protection Act, Art. 36 — Right to Request Deletion
Statutory Text

The personal information handler shall process the request without delay, and in any case, within five business days from the date of receipt of the request.

— Personal Information Protection Act, Art. 36(2) — Processing Period

What to Do

1

Submit a written request (e.g., email or letter) to the personal information handler, clearly stating your identity and the data you wish deleted.

2

Include supporting documents if requested (e.g., ID copy for verification).

3

The handler must respond within 5 business days — if they fail to do so, you may file a complaint with the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) or the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC).

Sources

statutePersonal Information Protection Act, Art. 36 — Right to Request DeletionstatutePersonal Information Protection Act, Art. 36(2) — Processing Period

Same Question, Other Jurisdictions

GermanyCanadaAustraliaIrelandSingaporeEuropean UnionIndiaUKUS-CaliforniaCompare all →

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.