From the 5th, 'Tamjeong' Title Allowed for Commercial Activities... Police Launch Special Crackdown on Related Illegal Acts

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Following the revision of the Credit Information Act, from the 5th of this month, it will be possible to engage in profit-making activities under the name "tamjeong" (detective). In response, authorities are cracking down on illegal activities such as invasion of privacy and unauthorized collection of personal information that exploit this change.

The National Police Agency announced on the 4th that it will conduct guidance inspections and special crackdowns on companies related to tamjeong.

With the revision of the Credit Information Act, the clause that prohibited the use of the name "tamjeong" has been removed. Accordingly, profit-making activities using the tamjeong name as a trade name or title, as well as confirming the whereabouts of runaway children, adolescents, and missing persons, have become possible.

However, activities generally considered part of a detective's work, such as evidence collection in civil and criminal cases, locating fugitives involved in illegal activities, and confirming the whereabouts of adults, remain restricted under current law. Additionally, clients who request investigations involving illegal content may also be punished as accomplices.

The police plan to inspect organizations issuing "private certificates" related to tamjeong work in the second half of this year, checking for false or exaggerated advertising regarding these qualifications and supervising the appropriateness of certificate issuance procedures.

According to the police, there are currently 27 registered private investigation-related certificates, but only 4 are actively being issued. False or exaggerated advertising of private qualifications can be punished with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 30 million KRW under the Private Qualification Act.

Furthermore, the police intend to conduct special crackdowns not only on companies using the tamjeong name but also on errand centers and heungsinso (private investigation agencies) to strictly punish illegal activities.

Meanwhile, the government is discussing the introduction of "gongin tamjeong" (certified detectives) to eliminate the harms caused by underground fact-finding activities. A police official stated, "We plan to work towards the enactment of legislation for the introduction of the certified detective system as soon as possible through active social discussions and inter-ministerial consultations."

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