Overheard in Asia

Is South Korea's digital healthcare landscape being reshaped? 🍿 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝? From 2010 - 2015, SK Telecom operated an e-prescription service that allowed doctors to electronically transmit prescriptions to pharmacies. By 2014, it was mired in controversies over potential privacy breaches. This led to a prosecutorial investigation that culminated in SK Telecom's 2015 indictment for alleged violations of personal data protection laws. Throughout the legal proceedings, the lower courts consistently ruled in SK Telecom's favor, finding that the company merely acted as an intermediary, transmitting encrypted data without accessing or leaking sensitive information. On August 8, the Supreme Court's Second Division put a definitive end to this 14-year-long legal saga, affirming that SK Telecom's service did not violate either the Personal Information Protection Act or the Medical Services Act. 👀 𝐍𝐨𝐰 This ruling sets a precedent for how electronic health services may be evaluated under Korean law, potentially paving the way for a resurgence of digital health innovations. With both ruling and opposition parties now pushing for revisions to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, could this be the catalyst needed to establish clear legal grounds for e-prescription services in South Korea? Only time will tell. ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gmvv2Tc4 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Pune's homegrown Burger King has just served up a whopper of a victory against its global namesake after a 13-year legal battle. 🍿 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝? Anahita and Shapoor Irani, the proprietors of Pune’s Burger King outlets in Camp and Koregaon Park, have been using the Burger King moniker since 1992 (it started operating in 1989) - well before the American fast-food giant Burger King Corporation even registered its trademark in India. The US entity, with its empire of 13,000 restaurants worldwide, only thought of entering the market in 2014 and went after the Pune establishment's trademark application, claiming that the latter was causing irreparable harm to its brand reputation. The Iranis countered by claiming that the lawsuit was driven by bad faith and intended to intimidate genuine business operators. Beyond the name similarity, there was no substantial similarities between both entities. 👀 𝐍𝐨𝐰 Burger King Corporation's trademark infringement suit was dismissed earlier this month, with the district judge holding that, "𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯." ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gmvv2Tc4 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Have you caught the latest OIA edition? 😉 We covered Pune’s Burger King wins its 13-year battle against Burger King Corporation; SK Telecom wins its e-prescription service lawsuit and Zhongsan’s $70 million win. And also got to meet Michelle Sunita Kummar, Head of Disputes & Litigation at CelcomDigi! Read it all here: https://lnkd.in/gmvv2Tc4 🤫 If you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Happy Friday! We're back with another tasty recommendation, although.... This might not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's assuming that you like durian in the first place! Menya Shi Shi Do loves experimenting with different dishes and its quirky durian ramen is BACK. It's so unusual that... we had to mention it. Some love it, some hate it and others think it exists just for social media points. Perhaps the only way to find out is if you hop by when you're in Kuala Lumpur one of these days? P/S: There is only 30 bowls/day for a limited time, so make sure to drop by soon! ** 🤫 To read the rest of the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Time to shine the Spotlight on Hidemi OTANI! 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞? I am an associate lawyer at Hiroo Park Law Firm based in Tokyo. I am also the vice chairperson at the committee for the human rights of foreigners at Tokyo Bar Association and a member of Legal Counsel Team of the Third Lawsuit for a Selective Seperate-Surname System for Married Couples. My focus is to support foreigners and people who have foreign roots or who have connections with foreign countries. I handle divorce, child related cases, inheritance, criminal, litigation (usual civil matters), labor, immigration, setting up new businesses in Japan, commercial law etc., and I always try to bridge/fill the gap between the Japanese legal system/culture and my clients using my language skills and the experience living abroad. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? My proudest achievement is that I decided to pursue what I truly wanted to do in my career life and switched my career towards that (which is what I do now!) after 3 years of practice as a business lawyer. My passion for what I practice now comes from my experience spending 1 year abroad in high school where I found it very hard for me to live as a “foreigner”. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐝 25 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐲... I would write a diary to reflect the good things that happened that day, lessons learned, and set a goal for the next day. This is what I used to do as a student and I loved this routine of mine, but never made it every day after starting my career. Sleep always came first than this important routine. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐲𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝... Open my own café! Café has always been a very important and relaxing place for me. I would write a diary there, read books, or just relax. My own law firm that I wish to open someday would definitely have a meeting room like a café, with drinks to be served. My client can choose a drink from a menu! 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬...? - Tonkatsu Sankin at Yotsuya - Owariya at Yotsuya Sanchome- They serve the best Miso based soup with thick noodle called “Kishimen”. This cuisine is originally from Nagoya Japan. - Taiyaki Wakaba from Yotsuya - This Taiyaki place is one of the best 3 in Tokyo, and during the weekends, you would have to line up for 3 hours to get one. - Ichigo Mame Daifuku from Oosumi-Tamaya- It was not usual to put strawberry inside of rice cake until this Oosumi-Tamaya first came up with this idea back in 1985. There is a saying/proverb in Japanese “Hana yori Dango”, which literally means “Rice-dumpling over flowers”, in English it would be “Bread is better than the songs of birds”. This is why I chose my photo having a stick of rice dumpling! ** 🤫 To read: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 Subscribe for the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh 

Sri Lanka's Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has finally recouped a whopping Rs. 231 million (approximately USD 2.75 million) from a contentious share purchase of Laugfs Gas PLC! 🍿 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝? The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had filed action against W.K.H. Wegapitiya, U.K. Tilak N de Silva, and T.I. Hulangamuwa for alleged market manipulation involving the EPF's purchase of 33 million LAUGFS Gas shares on October 10, 2011. After years of legal wrangling, the accused agreed to compound the offences, repaying the EPF and contributing to the SEC's Compensation Fund. 👀 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 This resolution is more than just a win for the EPF. It serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of market manipulation. What goes up must eventually come down – with interest! ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

The US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have launched a legal assault on TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance. 🍿 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝? The lawsuit alleges "widespread violations" of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐀"), claiming that the video-sharing app has been knowingly collecting and retaining personal information from users under 13 without parental consent. This isn't TikTok's first legal rodeo - the company was fined $5.7 million in 2019 for similar violations by its predecessor, Musical.ly. Despite agreeing to changes then, the government now claims TikTok has continued to flout the rules, even in its supposedly child-friendly "Kids Mode". 👀 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 This legal drama is more than just another headache for TikTok - it's a potential game-changer for the entire social media industry. With potential fines of up to $51,744 per violation per day, the financial stakes are astronomical. But the implications go beyond TikTok's bottom line. This case could set new precedents for how social media platforms handle children's data, potentially forcing a radical redesign of age verification and parental consent mechanisms across the board. It also adds fuel to the ongoing debate about TikTok's Chinese ownership and data security concerns. As the lawsuit unfolds alongside TikTok's challenge to a forced-sale law, the app's 170 million US users might find themselves caught in a tug-of-war between privacy concerns, national security fears, and their love for viral dance challenges. One thing's for sure - this legal battle will be anything but a quick scroll through your For You page! ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

The impact of China Evergrande Group's liquidation, once the country's largest property developer, widens. 🍿 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝? After failing to restructure its $23 billion offshore debt, Evergrande's locally listed entity was ordered into liquidation by a Hong Kong court in January. Now, the liquidators have launched legal proceedings against PricewaterhouseCoopers, real estate services company CBRE Group, and investment banking advisory firm Avista Advisory Group, alleging negligence and misrepresentation. But that's not all - they're also going after Evergrande's founder, Hui Ka Yan, and other top executives, seeking to recover a whopping $6 billion. 👀 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 This legal battle is more than just a corporate squabble - it's a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of financial mismanagement and the potential liability of auditors and advisors. The outcome could set precedents for how liquidators pursue assets globally, especially when dealing with mainland China. Moreover, it highlights the delicate balance auditors must strike between serving their clients and maintaining their integrity. As this drama unfolds, one thing's certain: the fallout from Evergrande's collapse will continue to provide plenty of fodder for bar-side chats among APAC's legal elite for years to come. ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Happy Monday! We are back with the 50th edition of Overheard in Asia!! Where we touched on Evergrande’s $6 billion liability, the USA going after TikTok and how Sri Lanka’s EPF has retrieved a whooping $2.37 million after 13 years. We also shine the spotlight on Hidemi OTANI of Hiroo Park Law Firm! Want to read it all? Check out the full edition here: https://lnkd.in/gs555Ywh 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution

Happy Friday! It's that time of the week where we share one of our food haunts. This time, our recommendation isn't a meal place but it's definitely a great one when you're looking to get a snack / gift for friends in Singapore: Old Seng Choong - HQ. Their chiffon cakes are huge, fluffy and oh so delicious. There are plenty of flavours including the classic panda, and more unusual flavours like jeju yuzu & coconut blue pea. So if you're flying out of Singapore and needing to buy a gift for a friend/family, get one in Changi itself or along Orchard Road! Trust us, you won't regret it. You might even finish that chiffon cake all by yourself! ** 🤫 To read the latest OIA edition: https://lnkd.in/giK4d69g 🤫 And if you like what you're reading, subscribe to Overheard in Asia to get the latest APAC disputes & arbitration news every 2 weeks in 3 minutes! -https://lnkd.in/gHFG4gvh #arbitration #lawyer #legal #disputeresolution