"Protecting Your Personal Information"... Yongsan-gu Launches Destruction Service for Hard Disks and Mobile Phones

For Local Residents and Business Employees

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Heeyoung), is launching a "Digital Storage Media Destruction Service" starting from May 1, 2025, for local residents and employees of businesses located in the district, allowing them to safely dispose of unnecessary storage media.

Yongsan-gu started a digital storage media destruction service from the 1st of this month. Provided by Yongsan-gu.

The purpose is to prevent personal information leaks and to create a safe digital environment. The destruction service provided by the district physically shreds storage media into pieces ranging from 5 to 40 mm in size.

Storage media eligible for destruction include hard disk drives (HDD), SSDs, mobile phones, and USB drives. However, tablet PCs and laptop computers are excluded from the service. Mobile phone batteries must be removed and submitted separately prior to destruction due to the risk of explosion.

The service is available on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except during lunchtime (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.), weekends, and public holidays. To use the service, applicants must submit a request form in advance through the district's website (under the "Cleaning" section in the information by field menu). After receiving a reservation confirmation text message, users should visit the Smart Information Division of Yongsan-gu Office (8th floor, 150 Noksapyeong-daero) with a valid ID and, if applicable, a certificate of employment. Residents who wish to witness the destruction of their storage media in person are also allowed to observe the process.

For more information, please contact the Smart Information Division of Yongsan-gu Office at 02-2199-6650.

District Mayor Park Heeyoung stated, "If personal or corporate data stored on digital storage media is leaked, it can cause serious harm not only to individuals but also to society as a whole." She added, "Through this service, we aim to raise awareness about personal information protection and the strengthening of digital safety nets, and to make Yongsan a place where people can use digital devices with peace of mind."