Starbucks, NamuWiki face privacy action in South Korea for data lapses, non-compliance

( November 27, 2025, 05:39 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Starbucks Corporation and its Hong Kong-based contractor, Elevate Hong Kong Holdings, have been issued corrective orders by South Korea's privacy watchdog linked to excessive collection and processing of personal data from employees of local suppliers under Starbucks’ global ethical-sourcing program. The Personal Information Protection Commission said Starbucks headquarters failed to include all legally required data-protection clauses in its outsourcing contract and neglected its duty to educate and supervise Elevate, while Elevate transmitted HR, wage and time-and-attendance files outside suppliers’ premises and collected personal data, including resident registration numbers, without a legal basis. Simultaneously, the regulator filed a criminal complaint against Umanle SRL, the operator of NamuWiki, for refusing repeated requests for data submissions and claiming non-applicability of South Korean law.The statement, in Korean, is attached....