Passage of Location Information Act at Cabinet Meeting: "Personal Location Information Business from Permission System to Registration System"

Relaxation of Entry Regulations and Strengthening of Protective Measures

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] A bill aimed at revitalizing the domestic location information industry and fostering a new industrial ecosystem based on location information has been passed, easing entry regulations while strengthening measures to enhance industry reliability and protect location information.

The Korea Communications Commission announced on the 12th that the amendment to the "Act on the Protection and Use of Location Information," containing these provisions, was approved at the Cabinet meeting and will be enforced six months after enactment.

The amendments to the Location Information Act include ▲changing the licensing system to a registration system, ▲strengthening the protection of personal location information, ▲enhancing post-management and supervision systems, ▲improving the quality of emergency rescue location information, and ▲establishing a location information industry association.

The licensing system, which required review and approval for location information businesses handling personal location information, has been abolished. Instead, businesses must register with the Korea Communications Commission after meeting certain requirements such as physical facilities necessary to achieve business objectives and location information protection measures.

To protect personal location information, the law has been revised to require consent for the "purpose and retention period of personal location information," disclosure of personal location information processing policies, and strengthening of procedures for the destruction of personal location information.

Additionally, fines or corrective orders can be imposed for violations of the Location Information Act. Regular inspections of location information businesses, including annual checks and destruction status audits, have also been strengthened.

The Korea Communications Commission stated that to strengthen post-management following the easing of entry barriers for location information businesses, it will make multifaceted efforts to encourage compliance with the law among location information businesses and increase acceptance of the amended law.

Chairman Han Sang-hyuk commented on the amended Location Information Act, saying, "With the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution era, the need for legal amendments to foster a new industrial ecosystem based on location information and to protect location information has emerged. Since personal location information can cause significant privacy infringement damage if leaked or misused, I hope an environment will be created where location information is safely protected and actively utilized."