Gender Equality Minister Won Min-kyong: "Google Must Face Legal Responsibility for Leaking Information on Victims of Sexual Crimes"

[Financial News] Won Min-kyong, minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, said on the 11th regarding Google's leak of information on victims of digital sex crimes, "If any violations of the law are confirmed, Google will have to bear corresponding legal responsibility."
At a press conference held that day at Government Complex Seoul, Minister Won said, "Google must take the seriousness of this matter seriously and show a responsible attitude toward the victims and the public," making the statement.
On the 25th of last month, some of the deletion requests submitted to Google by victims and support organizations while asking Google to remove videos of digital sex crime victims were disclosed without authorization on another site, causing public controversy.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family immediately demanded that Google and the site concerned delete and block the relevant information, and urgently blocked further leaks through the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC).
Minister Won criticized the situation, saying, "Victims request deletion out of desperation, hoping that their videos will no longer be circulated. But if the sensitive information and deletion requests submitted in that process were made public, it is a serious matter that inflicts further harm on the victims."
According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the relevant authorities had urgently blocked more than 10 pieces of information that could identify victims as of the 28th of last month, three days after becoming aware of Google's information leak. As of September 1, they had blocked all more than 200 items found through searches for the Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea and other terms. They subsequently confirmed that, from around 1 a.m. on the 7th, the site had blocked all records of deletion requests submitted to Google by individuals and support organizations in Korea.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family expressed strong regret to Google on the 5th and demanded measures to prevent a recurrence. On the 9th, it also obtained Google's assurance that it would not share externally any deletion-request materials received in Korea in the future.
Minister Won emphasized, "Google, which has enormous influence, bears an even greater responsibility to protect victims' sensitive information and handle it safely. The government views this matter as extremely serious and will not consider it closed with these measures alone."
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is reviewing the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, the Telecommunications Business Act, and the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection with the relevant authorities. If any violations are confirmed, it plans to hold Google legally responsible.
Minister Won said, "I will continue to monitor to the end whether Google's measures to prevent a recurrence are effectively established and actually implemented."
[email protected] Jung Sang-kyun Reporter