"Buy Makgeolli" "I Like It" Public Official Misusing Personal Information, Is This Okay?

Gimhae Public Official Asks Quarantined Person to "Buy a Glass of Makgeolli"
Police Officer Who Privately Contacted Saying "I Like You" Receives Only Reprimand
Experts Call for "Improved Awareness Among Officials and System Reform"

This photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A public official who made inappropriate remarks, such as asking a woman in self-quarantine to buy Makgeolli and demanding proof photos, is causing social controversy. The official claimed that he continued to send messages because the victim did not express opposition.

In the past, a police officer caused a stir by using personal information to make private contact with a woman, saying "I like you." Amid controversies over some public officials using personal information for private contact, experts suggested that it is important to raise public officials' awareness regarding the handling of personal information.

According to a media report on the 27th, Ms. A, a woman in her 30s who was in self-quarantine after returning from overseas, received KakaoTalk messages and videos about 20 times from Mr. B, a public official affiliated with Gimhae City Hall, since the 12th.

On the 17th, Mr. B sent Ms. A a message saying, "Another pointless directive has come down. They say to conduct a surprise inspection over the weekend and take a proof photo to report. I don't want to go out for the surprise inspection, so please take a selfie wearing a mask, with the front door wide open, showing only your silhouette so your face can't be recognized, and send it via KakaoTalk. And this is 'secret.'"

On the 25th, when Ms. A's self-quarantine was lifted, Mr. B reportedly sent a message saying, "Make some money and buy this guy a glass of Makgeolli. On behalf of the quarantine authorities, I wish Ms. A success and development in the future. Oh, by the way, this guy is your 담당 오빠 (in charge older brother). I'm sending the last video."

Moreover, Mr. B also sent about 11 videos to Ms. A, including videos of his family and outings.

As the controversy grew, Mr. B explained, "I have a hobby of video production, so I made and sent the videos, and there is nothing strange or unpleasant in them," adding, "If she had said from the beginning that she didn't want to see KakaoTalk messages or videos, I wouldn't have sent them."

This is not the first case of a public official contacting someone of the opposite sex privately and causing controversy. In July last year, a public official from an administrative welfare center in Daegu contacted single mothers multiple times, causing problems.

At that time, the official called 16 women from single-parent families in their 30s and 40s a total of 37 times, saying, "I'll give you sponsorship money, so let's meet." The official was disciplined with a three-month suspension.

Although cases of some public officials abusing personal information continue, it is practically difficult to punish them. This is because the current Personal Information Protection Act targets 'personal information processors.'

Employees under their supervision are classified as 'personal information handlers.' The problem is that there are no specific punishment provisions for acts of 'personal information handlers' using personal information.

Message sent by Officer C to the complainant. Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream' capture

Last year, a police officer used a woman's personal information to make private contact because he "liked her," but was not legally punished. This was because the officer was not a 'personal information processor.'

In July last year, Officer C sent a message to a female civil petitioner who visited the police station to obtain an international driver's license, saying, "I was the person who issued your license earlier. I like you and want to contact you. Is that okay?"

When the petitioner's boyfriend learned of this, he reportedly demanded punishment for the officer through the National Police Agency's complaint system and online communities, saying, "Is it common for police officers to use personal information to contact civil petitioners they like privately?"

Regarding this, the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency stated, "We investigated Officer C, but since he is not a personal information processor, we concluded the investigation based on a legal interpretation that he cannot be punished." However, Officer C received a reprimand.

Experts suggested raising public officials' awareness regarding personal information handling and establishing a system to punish personal information handlers.

Attorney Hong Minho of Hanseo Law Office emphasized, "Recently, cases of citizens' personal information being leaked and misused for crimes by public officials, directly or indirectly, such as allowing public service workers access to personal information in the Nth Room case, have increased. In the future, it is necessary to improve public officials' awareness of accessing, managing, and leaking personal information, and to reform the system so that not only personal information processors but also personal information handlers can be punished."

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