The Sensitive Issue of Library Compliance with the Revised Personal Information Protection Act

Abstract

The Personal Information Protection Act and The Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held by Administrative Organs were revised for the first time in ten years after the initial enforcement in 2005.

In order to decide whether or not it is necessary for libraries to comply with this amendment, each library has to confirm its decision about compliance.

The main amendment details are as follows: 1. the Clarification of the Definition of Personal Information; 2. the Provisions for Ensuring the Usefulness of Personal Information, etc. under the Appropriate Regulations; 3. the Provisions for Reinforcing the Protection of Personal Information; 4. the Establishing of the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Development of Provisions concerning Its Authority; 5. the Provisions for Dealing with the Globalisation of the Handling of Personal Information.

There are some requirements regarding the above amendments facing each library, particularly, the amendment concerning acquisition restrictions within the new definition of ‘sensitive, personal information’ which is a very crucial issue regarding data protection in libraries.