Republic of Korea: Announced PIPC order designating three new pilot organisations as "Personal Information Safe Zones"

On 2 July 2024, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) of South Korea announced the designation of three new pilot institutions as "Personal Information Safe Zones". In particular, these institutions are the Korea Expressway Corporation, the Korea Social Security Information Service, and Douzone Bizon. The Korea Expressway Corporation, supported by the government, will enhance the analysis and utilisation of land and transportation data. The Korea Social Security Information Institute and Douzone Bizon, designated in the self-construction sector, will support tailored social welfare policies and promote the use of medical data in connection with the Gangwon regulation-free special zone, respectively. These institutions will set up the necessary facilities and functions to meet Safe Zone operational requirements and undergo a final on-site inspection in the second half of the year, with full-scale operations expected to begin within the year. Safe Zones operate under the Zero Trust principle, ensuring robust security and personal information protection while allowing flexible processing of pseudonymised data. Furthermore, they enable third parties to store and reuse long-term data. Current Safe Zones include the Statistical Office (opened in March 2024) and the National Cancer Center (scheduled to open in July 2024).