Penalties toughened for revealing HIV patients' data

By Jung Min-ho

Medical professionals who reveal private information about HIV patients to anyone other than the relevant government health authorities will be punished more harshly, the government said Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a revised law has recently taken effect to protect the rights of people who suffer because of the AIDS-causing virus and prejudice toward people with the disease.

The law bans medical professionals from publicly revealing data about HIV patients, including their names and medical records, while they are working as well as after leaving their jobs.

Violators could face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($27,000). Previously, it was three years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Also under the law, doctors who fail to report HIV patients to the government could also face one year in prison or a fine of 10 million won.

HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus which infects the human immune system. Over time, it may cause AIDS by eventually killing off the white blood cells that fight infections.

The accumulated number of Koreans testing positive for HIV or diagnosed with AIDS surpassed 10,000 for the first time in 2015, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.