'Hanbok Gongjeong' Chinese Game Company Faces Controversy Over Sensitive Data Collection Again

Clipboard Information Collection
Concerns Over Leakage of Sensitive Data Such as Cryptocurrency Wallets and Passwords

A Chinese game company that previously supported domestic netizens' claims that hanbok is a traditional Chinese costume is facing controversy for collecting clipboard information containing passwords and authentication codes in its new release after four years.

According to the game industry on the 6th, Infold Games, upon releasing the PC, console, and mobile open-world adventure game 'Infinity Nikki' the day before, stated in its homepage privacy collection and processing policy that it necessarily collects 'text content included in the clipboard' for service provision.

The clipboard is a space that temporarily stores data when using the copy-paste function on PCs or mobile devices.

Due to the nature of the clipboard, which often contains passwords, authentication codes, and cryptocurrency wallet addresses frequently copied and pasted, it often becomes a target for malware or hacking programs. For this reason, other domestic and international mobile game companies do not collect clipboard information.

Infold Games explained through the English version of the privacy policy that regarding clipboard access permission, "Only information related to the service is collected, and the collected information is not stored."

The security industry has expressed concerns about apps having clipboard access permissions. In fact, the China-based short-form platform TikTok was found to have accessed clipboard information without notifying users in 2020, which came to light following an iOS update, raising suspicions of personal information leakage. At that time, TikTok explained it was a bug in iOS, but the controversy continued afterward.

This is not the first controversy caused by this game company in Korea. Previously, Paper Games, the parent company of Infold Games, released the dress-up game 'Shining Nikki' in Korea in 2020, which sparked the 'Hanbok Process' controversy and drew criticism from domestic gamers.

At that time, the hanbok costumes were also released on Chinese servers, and many Chinese netizens claimed, "Hanbok is the costume of the Joseonjok, one of China's ethnic minorities, so it is Chinese clothing." In response, Paper Games defended this claim by stating, "As a 'One China' company, the stance of Paper Games and our motherland is always aligned."

Subsequently, Paper Games unilaterally terminated the Korean service just one week after its launch.

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