S. Korea to change guidelines for information disclosure regarding COVID-19 patients

Posted on : 2020-05-14 17:41 KST Modified on : 2020-05-14 17:58 KST
Excessively revealing information has led to doxing and privacy invasion
A bar in Seoul’s Hongdae area recently visited by a COVID-19 patient remains closed on May 13. (Yonhap News)
A bar in Seoul’s Hongdae area recently visited by a COVID-19 patient remains closed on May 13. (Yonhap News)

Disease authorities plan to change their methods of disclosing information about confirmed novel coronavirus patients’ activities so that individuals cannot be identified when places associated with infection clusters are discovered. The measure is being adopted as a supplement to address issues of privacy violations, where the excessive disclosure of personal information about patients associated with clubs in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood has resulted in situations on par with doxing.

“In order to avoid the leaking of individuals’ identities, people will not be asked whether or not they visited Itaewon during the testing process. If they test positive, only the minimum amount of information about activities that raise concerns of second-generation infection will be shared, while any information that could be used to identify individuals will be deleted,” explained Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun in a May 13 meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ).

In a regular briefing the same day, CDSCGQ General Coordinator and vice health minister Kim Gang-lip said, “Identifying information such as business names will only be given when releasing information on the first patient’s activities. After that, business names will not be given for additionally diagnosed patients who visited the same business.” Disease control authorities plan to amend disclosure guidelines for patient activity and notify individual local governments of any further information.

The measures are intended to encourage “hidden patients” to voluntarily undergo testing. According to the second edition of the disease control authorities’ handbook for the disclosure of patient movements and other information, the scope of patient movements is restricted to “the period from two days before COVID-19 symptoms appear until the date of entering quarantine.” Another rule is that while information about places and means of transportation in contact with diagnosed patients may be disclosed to the extent that they are associated with infection risks, details about the patient’s address will not be shared. Workplaces are only to be disclosed in cases associated with risks of transmission to the general public.

Excessive invasions of privacy by local governments

But some local governments have thrown cold water on the conditions for voluntary testing by disclosing detailed lists of activities with information that could allow for identification of specific patrons who were diagnosed with the virus. Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province sent a disaster announcement to all its residents on May 9 that included the identities of four people who had visited clubs in Itaewon -- all of whom had tested negative. Coming the same day that CDSCHQ announced plans to maintain “stringent security regarding the identities of those tested,” the text -- which even listed the professions of the individuals, who had only been tested and were not actually diagnosed with the virus -- has been criticized as an excessive invasion of privacy.

Nowon District Office in Seoul disclosed the age, area of residence, and detailed activities of its Patient No. 26, who tested positive on May 12 after visiting an Itaewon club. Whereas the rules indicate that activities should only be disclosed for places associated with infection risks, the announcement included detailed information about the patient’s outside activities by time.

By Kwon Ji-dam and Ock Kee-won, staff reporters

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

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