Tesla and BYD face heightened scrutiny over FSD safety and data privacy in Korea
Tesla Korea’s supervised Full Self-Driving system is under pressure after lawmakers noted it lacks official safety certification, while BYD Korea was questioned about transferring customer data to China.
In a parliamentary audit, Tesla Korea’s Country Manager Seo Young-deuk confirmed that its U.S.-made vehicles equipped with supervised Full Self-Driving have not undergone any Korean government safety tests and that the firm has not formally applied for such evaluations. He said Tesla would participate if a regulatory pathway is established. The audit also highlighted that only U.S.-produced Teslas can currently use FSD under the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, while Chinese-made models must meet local rules.
Meanwhile, BYD Korea’s passenger-vehicle division chief Cho In-chul responded to claims that the company’s privacy policy permits the transfer of customer names, emails, VINs and license plates to its Shenzhen headquarters, and that customers refusing consent could encounter buying difficulties. Cho pledged compliance with Korea’s personal information protection law but gave no direct answer about potential requests from Chinese authorities. The hearing underscored rapid growth for both EV makers, with Tesla’s registrations soaring and BYD’s sales expanding sharply since its 2025 market entry.
Why it matters
The story highlights regulatory gaps and privacy concerns as fast-growing EV brands expand in South Korea.
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