Seminars
Regulating Digital Asia
Prof. Dr. Joonyoung Paul Park specialises in economic and commercial law at the College of Law, Gyeongsang National University (GNU), in South Korea. His research interests encompass traditional topics in economic law (e.g. the objectives, philosophy, and due process of competition law) and emerging issues in the digital economy, including competition law challenges related to online platforms, data, and artificial intelligence (AI).
In the fall semester of 2026, he will teach a seminar in "Regulating Digital Asia" as a visiting professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Zurich (UZH). Prof. Park looks forward to engaging in diverse and insightful discussions with students interested in the legal landscapes and digital economy of Korea and other Asian nations.
Information
This seminar provides foundational knowledge on the regulatory framework governing the digital economy in Asia, with particular emphasis on South Korea. The course addresses competition law as well as the regulation of digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and data. South Korea possesses a highly developed digital economy, and its legal framework is subject to continual reform. Accordingly, South Korea serves as an instructive point of departure for analysing the regulation of the digital economy in other Asian jurisdictions.
The seminar examines key regulatory challenges and legal responses from a comparative law perspective, drawing on selected developments in Asia (South Korea, Japan, China, and Singapore), Europe (Germany), and Switzerland.
The course is divided into two parts. The first part introduces legal foundations, while the second requires students to present their bachelor or master thesis. This seminar encourages students to pursue a topic of their choice within the seminar's scope. Please note that focusing on Korean or other Asian legal systems is optional and not a requirement for the paper.
During the block seminar students will present the current status of their work. This will provide an opportunity to receive valuable feedback from the professor and peers, which will help students finalize their paper for submission at the end of November.
Students may choose from topics related to digital market regulations, platform liability, and the legal implications of AI. Furthermore, students are welcome to pursue research on digital issues within Asian popular culture, such as K-Pop, K-Food, or J-Cartoons (anime/manga), as well as other forms of emerging digital media.
For students interested in the digital economy or Asian countries, this seminar offers valuable insights and a rewarding academic experience.
Click for the topic list (PDF, 83 KB)
Learning outcomes
Students will develop a broad, fundamental understanding of the current regulatory framework governing the digital economy in Asia, especially South Korea, with a focus on competition and antitrust law. Building on this legal knowledge, the seminar will prepare students to critically assess and reflect on potential future approaches to the regulation of the digital economy.
Assessment
Bachelor and Master thesis and individual presentation
Schedule
| Preliminary meeting |
The preliminary meeting and allocation of topics will take place on 16.09.2026, at 14:00 in room RAI-J-161. * Students may tentatively choose a topic from the provided list and begin their research in advance. * The pre-selected topics will be reviewed and officially finalized during the preliminary meeting. Of course, it is also perfectly fine to settle on a topic during the preliminary meeting itself. * Flexible choice within the seminar’s field: focus on Korean/Asian law is optional |
| Submission deadline | Final paper submission deadline is 15.12.2026 to lst.thouvenin@ius.uzh.ch |
| Length of the paper | 75,000–90,000 characters (MLaw), 35,000-45,000 characters (BLaw), including spaces and footnotes (but excluding the table of contents, cover page, and declaration of originality) |
| Venue |
The seminar will be held as a block seminar on 1 and 8 October 2026 at the University of Zurich. * Format: lecture session, progress presentations, and feedback session |
| Contact |
If you have any questions regarding the seminar, feel free to contact Prof. Park directly: jyp314@gnu.ac.kr. |
Guidelines for Writing Master's and Seminar Papers
Basic Rules for Legal Academic Writing
Please refer to the information provided in the following document:
Guidelines Legal Writing (PDF, 175 KB)
Formatting Requirements
The following formatting specifications must be strictly adhered to:
-
Line spacing: 1.5 lines
-
Right margin: 4 cm
-
Justification: Block text with hyphenation
-
Paper size: A4
Submission of Thesis
The thesis must be submitted to the Chair by the agreed deadline via email (Lst.thouvenin@ius.uzh.ch) in electronic format (PDF and Word).