경찰의 온라인 공개개인정보 활용에 관한 법적 검토

The internet has become an essential tool for communication and connection. However, a significant problem arises as this convenience is increasingly exploited, fostering the emergence of new risks and crimes in the online environment. Police, tasked with crime prevention, investigation, and public safety, face a complex situation in this era of digitalization. The collection and utilization of publicly available online personal information by the police fall within the unavoidable scope of their activities in hyper-connected societies. However, if the legal limits regarding such data collection are not clearly defined, concerns may arise regarding a perceived increase in unnecessary state surveillance. With this in mind, this study presents a hypothetical scenario where the Korean police develop an AI-based system for collecting and analyzing publicly available online personal information to enhance risk prevention and aid in crime investigation. The study then conducts a legal review to determine if such activities would be permissible under the current legal framework. This review is structured into three stages: defining publicly available online personal information, classifying its collection and utilization methods, and conducting a detailed legal analysis, including constitutional discussions and specific legal reasoning based on relevant laws like the Personal Information Protection Act.