Personal Information Protection Commission Imposes Fines on LG Uplus and Other Telecom Companies and Agencies

Fines of 41 Million KRW Imposed on 11 Businesses for Violating Personal Information Protection Regulations

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] On the 30th, the Personal Information Protection Commission held the 19th plenary session and decided to impose a total fine of 41 million KRW and corrective orders on 11 businesses that violated personal information protection regulations.

The Commission initiated an investigation following complaints about illegalities in the handling of customer personal information by telecom companies, agencies, and sales outlets. The investigation confirmed violations such as neglecting safety measures and failing to destroy personal information even after achieving the purpose of collection.

LG Uplus was found to have used actual personal information files instead of virtual files during a simulated test of personal information safety measures in the agency system. Additionally, the files were shared in a network folder without encryption, allowing agencies not participating in the test to access them.

The Commission judged that although personal information was not actually leaked, the act of neglecting the risk of leakage constituted a violation of safety measures.

Apple Mobile and nine other sales outlets and agencies were found to have retained collected personal information without destruction even after achieving the purpose of collection such as settlement completion.

Eight sales outlets and agencies, including XCIEX, were confirmed to have neglected safety measures in managing personal information files, such as failing to encrypt files or not applying secure authentication methods when accessing from external networks.

Park Youngsoo, Head of Investigation Division 1 at the Personal Information Protection Commission, urged telecom companies, agencies, and sales outlets to make efforts for safe personal information handling, as mobile communication services are universal services subscribed to by the majority of the public.