The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, in partnership with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Vancouver, is pleased to share a new webinar, COVID-19 Contact Tracing in South Korea: Pandemic, Technology, and Social Implications.

South Korea’s successful response to the COVID-19 outbreak has drawn global attention and praise. At the core of its COVID-19 strategy is the ‘Trace, Test, and Treat’ model, which has depended heavily on contact tracing process that involved extensive collection and use of personal data. While successful, this approach has raised concerns over its liberal collection and use of data.

South Korea’s contact tracing efforts bring up important questions about public policy and the role of digital technology in our society: How do we balance public good and privacy in the era of ‘big data’? What does COVID-19 tell us about the future of tech governance? What do South Korea’s experiences teach Canada?

Two leading privacy experts, Park Kyung-sin (Korea University) and Carole Piovesan (INQ Law) discuss these critical questions during the June 23, 2020 webinar, in the context of contact tracing efforts in South Korea and Canada.