Rep. Song Young-gil Pushes for 'Han Dong-hoon Prevention Act' Mandating Return and Deletion of Investigative Records upon Retirement

Democratic Party of Korea Lawmaker Song Young-gil announced that he is pushing to sponsor the so-called "Han Dong-hoon Prevention Act," which prevents personnel of investigative agencies from personally retaining or using investigative information acquired during their tenure after leaving office.

The bill prohibits viewing investigative information unrelated to official duties or using and providing it for purposes other than intended. It also mandates that original records, copies, and electronic files in one's possession must be returned or deleted without delay once the necessity to handle such information ceases due to retirement, reassignment, or other reasons.

The legislation includes measures to fundamentally block the private storage, transmission, and preservation of investigative information through personal mobile phones, email accounts, or unauthorized cloud storage services.

In addition, it calls for establishing a system that automatically logs the search, access, download, and external transfer of investigative records, and detects abnormal access patterns such as mass downloads ahead of retirement.

Under the bill, individuals who use undisclosed investigative information for unintended purposes or provide it to external parties without legitimate authorization will face up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to 70 million won.

"Where investigative authority ends, the personal possession and private use of investigative information must also end," Rep. Song said. "Turning information concerning the public into a political or personal asset must never happen again."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.