주민등록번호체계의 개편방안에 관한 연구

Abstract

In the resident registration numbers that we use, very sensitive personal information is exposed. It is because the number system is designed such that even only the resident registration number can show a person’s date of birth, gender, and birth place. And when the resident registration number is combined with a person’s name, the individual’s personal characteristics can be easily discerned, so when the personal information is leaked, serious personal information infringement accidents can occur. For this reason, the law restricts the use of the resident registration number when signing up for a membership in Internet services and stipulates that i-PIN, instead of the resident registration number, should be used for identification. However, the resident registration number is still widely used online and offline as a means of identification (personal reference). As long as the current resident registration number exists, our sensitive personal information is bound to be exposed to others too easily. The golden opportunity to reform the resident registration number system that reveals the sensitive information as it is has come. It is to reform the management system of the resident registration number in connection with the adoption of the electronic identification card system that the government is promoting. Originally, the resident registration number is administrative reference number given for convenience’ sake to manage the resident registration register. The problem has occurred since such numbers are used on the identification card. Accordingly, it is to use this reference number only for managing the administrative register and to use meaningless random issuing number in the electronic identification card which is to be newly issued. If only the issuing number is connected with the resident registration number within the system, then identification can be made possible in any degree only with the issuing number. The issuing number can be changed every time the resident registration card is issued, so it can prevent personal information infringement accidents to a considerable degree, compared with the current resident registration number that cannot be changed in one’s whole life once he or she has it issued. Discussions on reforming the resident registration number system started in earnest before the adoption of electronic identification card system. The problem is that, in these discussions, there is no consideration in the legal aspects. So this thesis attempts to examine legal issues involved with reforming the resident registration number system in order to establish more advanced resident registration system.