Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Rights body: Ease foreigner Internet access
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2897680

November 22, 2008
South Korea�s rights watchdog yesterday urged Web site operators to simplify identification procedures to allow foreigners greater access to online services that often require ID numbers.

Internet shopping malls, online banking services and most information sites generally require visitors to register both their name and ID number to prevent identity theft. The rule prevents foreign tourists and short-term foreign residents from accessing the sites as ID numbers are not issued to them.

The National Human Rights Commission �made recommendations to the chiefs of the four identification service agencies to develop measures to provide identification services for foreigners and to the Korea Communications Commission to devise a new system that is nondiscriminatory toward foreigners,� the watchdog said in a press release.

According to the information protection law, private firms whose online visitors surpass 100,000 people a day and government-run agencies are required to check the identification of their users to protect them from identity theft.

The restriction, however, can be discriminatory toward foreigners who stay in Korea less than 90 days and are not entitled to a foreign ID number, the watchdog found.

Web site operators should provide alternative identification measures, such as e-mails or credit card numbers that are widely used in other countries, the watchdog said, noting the growing use of Korea�s online services abroad.

�We�re living in an information age, in which a considerable part of our economic activity is performed on the Internet. It is discriminatory that some foreign residents, regardless of their legal status, are blocked from such activity because of the term of their stay here,� said Lee Seok-jun, an official with the watchdog who focuses on immigrant rights.

The four identification service agencies named by the watchdog are the Korea Association of Information and Telecommunication, National Information and Credit Evaluation Inc., Seoul Credit Rating and Information Inc., and Korea Information Service Inc.

Yonhap

[wylies99]

[PeteJB]

Anything over a year is not a short-term resident IMO. Luckily I can access almost any Korean website with my visa as I have no need for English service, but some sites are impossible to sign up to. How are these ID databases centralized? Even many small websites have them.

[ardis]

It's so hit or miss for me. Sometimes, I can register for sites but most of the time, I can't. It usually says that my name is incorrect, which is very, very frustrating.

[NoExplode]

My Gmarket password seems to self-expire after 3 days. I can use it fine to register and buy stuff so long as I buy stuff immediately after registering. If I try to log on a week later, get the "Sorry! Invalid Password." The asking for a temporary PW never works.

Not a big problem, but do have to re-register with a new email each time I buy. To be fair, their Customer service guy is trying to help, but over a two week period, he's even mystified.

[ChinaBoy]

this doesn't really seem like something the HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION needs to get involved in

it's a business decision, people who can't log on there will go to other companies/places which are more accessible

[wylies99]

[travelingfool]

[sojusucks]

You know, Korea seems to block some foreign websites.

I remember when the bird flu was a serious problem here. Inside Korea, everything was fine. Outside of Korea, it was a different story. The WHO was watching over the situation and many people wondered if they would become involved.

I tried accessing some of these foreign websites but they were blocked.

Add that to the list.

[Mr-Dokdo]

Stay away from the porno sites, and you won't have any "access problems".