[Editorial] Gov't Plan for Replacing Hojuje Inadequate

On Friday an umbrella organization of human rights, women's, and civic groups gathered to criticize the government's proposed alternative legislation for the hojuje. The debate has now begun.

What is of primary importance when it comes to creating a new system of identification is making sure there is no discrimination against women, which is the problem with the current "hoju system." However, the need to have protections available for diverse family units and avoid having people's rights violated because of inadequate controls on their personal data must also not be neglected. Those are issues that all have to be resolved when the framework for the new national identification system is put together.

The Justice Ministry's proposal does not meet the expectations. It says that it will be a system of individual registration, but then its proposal wants to integrate personal information with "citizenship and family relation registration." It wants to include data on your biological parents, your adoptive parents, your spouse, your spouse's parents, and your children. All that will be displayed in detail when you get issued a "proof of family" or an outline of your relations. That deserves criticism for ignoring international principles about protecting personal data, which stipulate that an individual's information is not to be weaved together with that of other individuals.

Also of concern is the ministry's plan to have all information reported to the justice minister instead of to local authorities, since that could lead to more control at the national government level. It wants to create something called "place of registration" that would be little different from the current concept of bonjeok, and it goes against the goal of making the family unit less patriarchal to require people to state their reasons if they want their children to use their mother's surname. The part about differentiating between children born in and out of wedlock could lead to discrimination.

Changing the national identification will have a major effect on society and so what it finally looks like is something that should be decided carefully after listening to a wide variety of views. The principle of reducing discrimination and improving civil rights must remain clear throughout the process.

The Hankyoreh, 26 November 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]