The pressured use of GPS monitoring units violates human rights regardless of quarantine functions

This photo by the South Korean Marine Corps shows reconnaissance soldiers marching in a group.

SEOUL June 30 (Korea Bizwire) – The state human rights watchdog has ruled that ordering military personnel to install map applications and turn on GPS functions for quarantine purposes at any time violates their privacy and other fundamental rights.

The National Commission on Human Rights of Korea (NHRCK) announced Tuesday that the requirement to use location tracking programs and access location data without permission violates the service member’s right to self-determination of personal data and privacy, and advised a division commander of the South Korean Marine Corps to take corrective action .

The Center for Military Human Rights Korea filed a complaint with the NHRCK earlier this year, accusing one of the company commanders in the said department of pressuring a service worker to install Google Maps in place of the Interior Ministry’s official quarantine request, and security and turn on the GPS -Tracking functions even after working hours.

The NHRCK decided against the company commander on the basis of the instruction of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for the protection of human rights in the pandemic era that “surveillance and surveillance should be limited in duration and scope depending on the situation”.

“The company commander violated the principle of minimum injury, as the official app offered by the Ministry of Interior and Security is sufficient to achieve the purpose of collecting information to prevent the spread of the pandemic,” said the NHRCK.

MH Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)

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