The Personal Information Protection Commission said on Feb. 6 that it will accept applications through Mar. 13 to designate pilot institutions for a one-stop support center for pseudonymous information, aiming to boost the public sector's capacity to provide and use pseudonymous data while minimizing legal risks.
The one-stop support center for pseudonymous information is a specialized institution that provides integrated support for the entire pseudonymization process for public institutions with relatively limited capabilities. The goal is to offer one-stop support from pseudonymization to adequacy assessment so that public institutions can provide and use pseudonymous information without additional staffing or budget burdens.
When a public institution applies for the one-stop support service, a support center designated by the Personal Information Protection Commission will either carry out pseudonymization in a single package or provide close support throughout the entire process. In particular, by having a specialized institution directly verify the adequacy of the pseudonymization level, the data-providing institution is expected to reduce a significant portion of its legal risk.
Specifically, the one-stop support center will provide step-by-step services, including ▲ pseudonymization design and risk review ▲ selection of pseudonymization tools and technical support ▲ conducting adequacy assessments ▲ data transfer support and follow-up management, to reduce the practical burden on public institutions.
The pilot institutions selected through this call will receive about 900 million won in national funding to operate the one-stop support center. Institutions wishing to apply must submit a designation application and related documents to the Personal Information Protection Commission by Mar. 13. Details of the call can be found on the websites of the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA).
Yang Cheong-sam, Secretary-General of the Personal Information Protection Commission, said, "The core of this project is to reduce, in ways that can be felt on the ground, the legal and technical burdens public institutions have faced in the process of providing pseudonymous information," adding, "Through a one-stop support system, we will actively back efforts so that the use of pseudonymous information can take root as a routine policy tool that accelerates the artificial intelligence (AI) transition."