A device that identifies a person by the veins in his wrist is being used at government offices, universities, and companies. It is of concern that a new biometric identification device is being distributed at a time when fingerprint recognition devices are being removed from government offices around the country after criticism claming they infringe on human rights.
This vein recognition device was developed by a Korean venture company and is intended for maintaining organizational discipline and recording attendance, and they say it is simple and efficient compared to card recognition. There are already around 2,000 in use, and their advantage is that you cannot fool them and they automatically calculate overtime. The introduction of biometric devices just because they are convenient and effective, however, should be reconsidered. Biometric data is a sure method of checking a person's identity, but it is also unique and sensitive data that perfectly identifies a person's personal characteristics.
When leaked, biometric data can have negative consequences such as serious privacy infringement, abuse for commercial purposes, and social discrimination. Awareness about civil rights relating to private data is minimal at Korean public offices and companies. It is so bad that you find Resident Registration Numbers float around the internet and documents with personal credit information gets discovered in a heap of discarded paper. The application of biometric data recognition, therefore, must be done very carefully. It must be preceded with ample preparation. Otherwise it will be criticized for civil rights abuse and surveillance of labor.
The company involved says that unlike fingerprint data, information collected from veins cannot be seen by the eye and therefore cannot be put together as data about vital characteristics. Even so, using biometric data without legal basis or a person's approval is not right. One doubts the public offices and companies received approval from their employees and others. People's personal decisions must be respected. The Korean constitution stipulates that personal secrets and freedom must not be infringed upon. There quickly needs to be legal basis for the collection of personal information in order to prevent unreasonable infringement of privacy.
The Hankyoreh, 12 March 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Be Careful About Biometric Data Recognition |
