Allegations that a prison officer handed the incarceration records of Shincheonji founder Lee Man-hee to the sect have prompted police to investigate an information leak. At issue are a public official's leak of official secrets and whether the religious group was involved.
An inmate's records are personal information that must be strictly managed by law. If a prison officer leaked them externally, it could amount to disclosure of official secrets and violation of the Personal Information Protection Act.
광고 문의 · 300×250Police are checking the content and route of the leaked information and whether the sect requested it. If the leak is confirmed, legal accountability for those involved is expected to follow.
Public officials' discipline in handling information is the foundation of public trust. Leaking information obtained through one's duties for a particular group undermines fairness.
The case also draws attention as a possible improper collusion between a religious group and public authority, and the fallout could grow depending on the outcome.
As the matter is under investigation, Sinophone Bridge Times reports it factually on the premise of the presumption of innocence, noting the importance of public-service ethics and privacy protection.
