The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 3

    BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo

  • 5

    Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors

  • 7

    INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels

  • 9

    Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech

  • 11

    Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI

  • 13

    Disney+ aims to expand investment in original Korean content

  • 15

    Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape

  • 17

    Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater

  • 19

    JSW in talks with LG Energy Solution to make EV batteries in India: sources

  • 2

    Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight

  • 4

    BTS member Suga begins mandatory military service

  • 6

    Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday

  • 8

    Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales

  • 10

    Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry

  • 12

    Arrest warrant hearing for DPK leader Lee to be held Tuesday

  • 14

    Korea hammers Thailand to clinch men's football knockout berth

  • 16

    Appellate court upholds 9-yr prison term for man over filming, distributing sexual videos featuring women

  • 18

    Yoon signs off on plan to waive expressway tolls during Chuseok holiday

  • 20

    'Songpyeon' for low-income families

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, September 24, 2023 | 03:51
Google illegally collected private info
Posted : 2011-01-06 19:25
Updated : 2011-01-06 19:25
Lee Hyo-sik
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Lee Hyo-sik

Police confirmed Thursday that Google, the world’s largest online search engine operator, illegally collected and stored personal data sent over unsecured Wi-Fi wireless networks here while creating the localized version of its online mapping service.

Korea and 15 other countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Britain, and Australia, have been investigating whether Google broke their privacy laws in the process of making its “Street View” service.

Korea has become the first to announce publicly that the California-based company gathered communication records, such as e-mail and instant messages, passwords and search histories.

The Cyber Terror Response Center, affiliated with the National Police Agency, said it broke codes of computer hard drives confiscated from Google’s Seoul office last August and found hundreds of thousands of e-mails, instant messages and other personal data.

“We unlocked 79 computer hard disks seized from Google Korea last summer and discovered e-mails, instant messages and other private data sent over Wi-Fi networks. We are now working on an additional 145 hard drives, which were handed over to us later. These disks had previously been taken out of the country,” said Jung Suk-hwa, leader of the investigation team at the Cyber Terror Response Center.

On Aug. 10, the police raided Google Korea’s office in southern Seoul and seized computer hard drives and company documents from the property during a search that lasted six hours.

The search and seizure warrant was issued on suspicions that sensitive information may have been illegally collected by the Google’s Street View cars, breaking the nation’s privacy protection laws.

Google first deployed its vehicles on Seoul’s streets in October 2009, but the debut of the localized version of its online mapping service has been delayed indefinitely, with police investigating whether the company has broken local privacy laws.

Jung said investigators summoned about 10 officials from Google Korea and its U.S. headquarters, including Google Korea CEO Lee Won-jin, for questioning over the past few months, adding they all stated that they were not aware of the allegations

“Google Korea officials only said the Street View mapping project was orchestrated by the U.S. headquarters, arguing they were not involved in the scheme. Those summoned from the U.S. said they were not aware of the collection of personal data,” he said.

Jung then said it will decide what to do after the analysis of all computer hard drives is completed. When asked about whether the police will ask the prosecution to indict those working at the Google’s U.S. headquarters if they were found to be responsible for the leakage of personal data, he declined to comment, citing a possible diplomatic problem.

In response to the police announcement, Google Korea issued a short statement, saying it has been fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities.

“We have not seen the report, but as we have said before, we are profoundly sorry for having mistakenly collected payload data from unencrypted networks. As soon as we realized what had happened, we stopped collecting all Wi-Fi data from our Street View cars and immediately informed the authorities,” a Google Korea spokeswoman said.

She said the company has been cooperating with the Korea Communications Commission and the police, and will continue to do so.

“Our ultimate objective remains to delete the data consistent with our legal obligations and in consultation with the appropriate authorities,” the spokeswoman said.
Emailleehs@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight
2Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors
3Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday
4Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales
5Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech
6Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry
7Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI
8Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater
9'Songpyeon' for low-income families 'Songpyeon' for low-income families
10Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
2[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
3Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
4[INTERVIEW] Seoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea INTERVIEWSeoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea
5[INTERVIEW] 'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema INTERVIEW'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group