TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Trade Ministry responded to circulating news about the imminent reopening of TikTok Shop in the country. Director General of Domestic Trade Isy Karim confirmed that the China-based video-sharing platform has not yet applied for a license to operate an e-commerce service.

“They haven't applied for it [the permit],” Isy told Tempo at the National Food Agency office, South Jakarta on Monday, October 16, 2023.

Isy explained that TikTok Shop still has a permit as a Foreign Trade Company Representative Office (KP3A). However, its activities are limited to acting as social media platforms because it does no have a social commerce or e-commerce license.

News about the return of TikTok Shop on November 10, 2023, went viral on X, formerly Twitter. However, the ministry claimed that it had not received any information about the report.

Rifan Ardianto, the Trade Ministry's Director of Trade via Electronic Systems and Trade in Services, said his side would keep monitoring the issue.

TikTok Indonesia officially ended its commerce services, TikTok Shop, on October 4 to comply with the government’s regulation that restricts social media from providing direct transactions in order to protect local MSMEs.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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