Health Authorities: "Detailed Disclosure of Confirmed Cases' Movements by Time Slot Is Inappropriate"

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Health authorities have expressed the opinion that disclosing the time-specific movement paths of confirmed COVID-19 cases by local governments is not appropriate.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a briefing held on the 13th at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk, "The Disease Control Headquarters has been preparing to provide principles for disclosing confirmed patients' movement paths and is reviewing the final draft." The Central Disease Control Headquarters decided to distribute a "Guideline for Disclosing Confirmed Patients' Movement Paths" that local governments can refer to.

Director Jung added, "Informing the areas where contacts have occurred should help prevent infectious diseases or enable early detection of patients," and "We want to provide an example of the basic principle that disclosing movement paths by time slots is not appropriate."

She continued, "We will provide guidelines that balance the principle of not infringing on individual human rights or privacy with the need to help prevent infections among the majority."

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increases, dissatisfaction among the individuals concerned is growing regarding the health authorities' measures to disclose the confirmed patients' movement routes and visited locations on the internet with specific dates and time slots. Choi Young-ae, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, also expressed concern on the 9th, stating, "There have been cases where intimate personal information is excessively exposed beyond what is necessary during the process of the government and local governments informing the movement paths of confirmed COVID-19 patients."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.