Seongdong-gu Collects and Destroys Visitor Logbooks from Restaurants and Cafes... Seocho-gu Launches Online Application Service for COVID-19 Living Support Funds

[Seoul District News] Seongdong-gu Collects and Destroys Visitor Logbooks from Over 7,300 Multi-use Facilities Including Restaurants and Cafes to Prevent Personal Data Leaks and Reduce Business Owners' Burden; Partners with Food Service Associations for Two Weeks of Intensive Service... Seocho-gu Enables Easy Application by Attaching Additional Documents After Identity Verification on District Office Website

A scene of using the 'Digital Storage Media Shredder' installed at Seongdong-gu Office. The digital storage media such as PC hard disks, semiconductor memory (SSD, USB), and mobile phones are safely shredded by the responsible official while the user watches.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (District Mayor Jung Won-oh) is implementing a ‘Collection and Destruction Service for Visitor Logbooks’ targeting multi-use facilities within the district.

Civil servants will directly visit approximately 7,300 locations such as restaurants, cafes, and private sports facilities in the area to collect all remaining handwritten visitor logbooks. These will be securely destroyed using document shredders available at each neighborhood community center.

According to a recent investigation by the Personal Information Protection Commission, over 20% of the 600 facilities inspected nationwide were found to be storing handwritten visitor logbooks. This raises concerns that if these logbooks are lost or stolen, it could lead to crimes involving the misuse of personal information.

Moreover, with the suspension of mandatory visitor logs and quarantine passes as of February 28, 2022, the need to destroy previously stored handwritten logbooks has increased. The district provides a service to collect and destroy logbooks left at businesses that cannot dispose of them independently, thereby reducing the burden on business owners.

Following the high positive response from businesses in some neighborhoods such as Kumho 1-ga-dong, where the destruction service has already been piloted, the district plans to actively encourage business owners to use the service in cooperation with related associations of food service establishments and private sports facilities. The service will be intensively conducted for about two weeks from the 22nd of this month to the 6th of next month.

Additionally, since February this year, Seongdong-gu has been the first autonomous district in Seoul to offer a digital storage media destruction service for residents and small business owners, including hard drives and USBs. The district plans to continue making various efforts to safely destroy sensitive personal information at administrative agencies to proactively prevent and support against personal information leaks and misuse.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “This service was initiated to prevent personal information leaks and misuse in advance and to reduce the burden on businesses for self-destruction of logbooks,” urging active use of the service. He also said, “We will continue to actively promote life-centered administrative services that meet administrative demands.”

Seocho-gu announced on the 24th that it will implement an online application service to allow COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine to conveniently apply for living support funds without visiting the community center.

In response to the rapid increase in confirmed cases due to the spread of Omicron and the resulting surge in visits to community centers for living support fund applications causing significant congestion, the district established its own online application system through the district office website to alleviate residents’ inconvenience.

Applicants can access the ‘COVID-19 Living Support Fund Application’ menu on the district office website within three months from the date of quarantine notification, complete identity verification, and easily apply by attaching the quarantine notice (a screenshot of the quarantine notification message) and a copy of their bankbook.

The applicants must be residents registered in Seocho-gu who were hospitalized or quarantined due to COVID-19. However, support is excluded for those who violated quarantine rules or isolation measures under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, those who received paid leave, and quarantined individuals working for public institutions. For further details, applicants can contact their respective neighborhood community centers.

The district will continue to accept in-person applications at community centers to accommodate elderly residents who have difficulty using the internet.

According to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act, since March 16, the district has been providing living support funds of 100,000 KRW for households with one quarantined member and 150,000 KRW for households with two or more quarantined members if hospitalized or quarantined due to COVID-19.

Oh Chang-young, Director of the Welfare Policy Division, said, “We expect this online application service to minimize residents’ inconvenience and improve administrative efficiency. We will do our best to promptly provide living support funds.”