S. Korea introduces new personal identification system for cyberspace

Posted on : 2006-10-02 21:06 KST Modified on : 2006-10-02 21:06 KST

South Korea has introduced a new personal identification number system for use on the Internet, a move intended to block personal data theft prevalent in cyberspace, a government ministry said Monday.

Under a set of guidelines by the Ministry of Information and Communication, the new identification numbers called "i-PIN" will be available on the Internet starting Monday, along with the existing "citizen registration numbers."

i-PIN stands for Internet personal identification number.

Internet users will be allowed to choose either i-PIN or their registration numbers to confirm their identity on Internet sites.

The move came as South Korea is undergoing a raft of personal information theft incidents as Internet users are required to enter their 13-digit citizen registration numbers, which contain sensitive personal information such as gender, date of birth and place of birth. The ministry, however, said that the guidelines are not mandatory, so it is encouraging Internet business operators to adopt the new identification number system voluntarily.

Seoul, Oct. 2 (Yonhap News)

Most viewed articles