주민등록제도의 문제점과 개선방안

The current resident identification card was introduced at time of first revision of the residents registration law in 1968. Resident registration number is composed of a very peculiar combination of numbers. Among a thirteen-digit of resident registration number, the frontal six-digit is date of birth and the rear seven-digit is composed of year of birth, gender and the first place of issuing resident registration number. This resident registration number has an excellent effect for identifying individuals in that it does not duplicate one or more of the existing numbers and it does not change during life. Accordingly, resident registration number is widely used not only for administrational purposes such as national defence, public order, tax, social welfare and census of population, but also for private transaction. But personal informations which are contained in the resident identification card can be leaked. If then, people is placed under strict surveillance of Big Brother. It is high time that we should take a measure to maximize of merits of resident identification card and to minimize demerits of resident identification card such as violation of human right. It is necessary that we should revise resident registration law not only to encode built-in IC chip with technical safety measures but also to replace resident registration number with issuing number.