수기 명부 기록시에 이름 안쓰고 전화번호만 써도 된다... 개보위 개인정보보호 대책 발표
With the latest, strengthened quarantine measures, people in South Korea are required to provide personal information everywhere they go.
For instance, when you walk into a cafe or a restaurant, the first thing you're asked to do is to either scan your QR code OR fill out a log with your name, phone number and home address.
That's raised privacy concerns and to better protect personal information, the government has released updated guidelines.
Our Kim Do-yeon reports, you will no longer need to provide your name and full address.
The success of K-Quarantine garnered global attention....but in doing so sparked debate among domestic and foreign media outlets regarding an invasion of personal privacy.
This has prompted South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission to release updated guidelines.
"First, in a written log book, we recommended minimizing the amount of personal information collected by only requiring phone numbers and their residing city without the visitor's name."
Log books generally ask for a person's name, their phone number, and city of residence.
"Currently, as the log book is usually at the front of the restaurant, some visitors feel uncomfortable writing in it as others can see their personal information."
There have even been some instances of people receiving unwanted phone calls and text messages from strangers.
Other measures from the commission include exempting take-out order customers from filling out their details...or leaving the business a missed call for them to have a record that way.
"While sticking to the rules of the Personal Information Protection Act, they found the best possible way to achieve the goals of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act...which is the most important at the moment."
One citizen embraced the changes while also reiterating what the priority is.
"I like to write down as little information as possible, but quarantine measures are more important."
The commission also showed concern for information that has been left online.
According to the current guidelines, details of a confirmed patient are supposed to expire after two weeks.
But it has been discovered that some 5,000 posts containing patient tracking information from May to August were still accessible on the Internet.
While most has since been deleted, the commission added that they will push for a law that could hold people responsible for not following the rules.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News
