238 Individuals and 100 Groups Apply for Compensation
"Personal Information Protection Commission and Dispute Mediation Committee Must Present Comprehensive Measures"
Bum Nam Yang, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker.
Hundreds of users have filed for personal information dispute mediation to demand compensation for damages and preventive measures in response to the SK Telecom hacking incident, but the government is being criticized for its passive response.
According to data submitted by Bum Nam Yang, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Gwangju Seo-gu-eul, from the Personal Information Protection Commission on May 26, a total of 338 people had applied for mediation to the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee regarding the SKT hacking as of May 21. This includes 238 individuals and 100 as part of a group application.
The personal information dispute mediation system aims to quickly resolve disputes related to personal information outside of litigation. The Dispute Mediation Committee, a quasi-judicial review body, is responsible for this process. When the committee receives an application for group dispute mediation, it must announce the initiation of proceedings on its website and elsewhere, and is required to process the case within 60 days from the day after the announcement period ends.
The system was established to provide prompt relief for damages, based on the fact that the impact of personal information leaks spreads rapidly and restoration is difficult. However, in this case, there has been criticism that the response speed of both the Dispute Mediation Committee and the Personal Information Protection Commission has been slow.
Hongseok Yang, an attorney representing 100 SKT hacking victims in a group dispute mediation application, pointed out that an additional 300 to 400 people are currently waiting to apply, but the mediation process has not yet begun.
Lawmaker Yang stated, "Because the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Dispute Mediation Committee have remained passive, the mediation process for the SKT incident is progressing slowly. To prevent further damage, they must disclose their mediation plans as soon as possible and present a comprehensive countermeasure that includes prevention of recurrence and compensation plans."
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