QR코드로 끝… 성동구, 노래방•PC방에 모바일 전자명부 도입

Despite its now world-famous contact tracing abilities, health authorities here have been finding it difficult to trace the thousands of people linked to the Itaewon cluster.
To up its game, the South Korean government is making it mandatory for all late night entertainment businesses to use QR codes in keeping a log of their visitors.
The square-shaped matrix barcode scanned by these visitors will contain their personal information so that when any outbreak occurs, the government will quickly be able to trace potential patients and quarantine them.
How it works, here's Lee Kyung-eun.
Visitors to this PC cafe in Seoul's Seongdong-gu District are filling out their details electronically.
First, you open your camera and scan this QR code.
A link pops up that leads you to a site.
You must fill out your name, phone number, and answer several health-related questions to get an entrance number.
In less than a minute, your personal information and the time you've entered the place are automatically recorded and stored by the QR provider.
To visitors, this electronic system can be safer than the analogue method of writing down information on a piece of paper.
"I don't have to talk to the employee and touch the pen others used. So it reduces any potential risk."
"The QR code system is also more effective in keeping visitor's privacy because their personal information is not being shared with the businesses."
Seongdong-gu District has applied this high-tech system to other places with a high risk of infection, like PC cafes, singing rooms, and sports facilities.
It allows them to instantly trace people who visited a particular place at a particular time, which helps them respond swiftly to any outbreak.
"We can immediately message everyone on the list of visitors to tell them to stay home and get tested."
The official also said the system can actively restrict visitors' activities by making this "entry decline sign" pop up when they scan the QR code at other places.
For privacy concerns, the data expires after four weeks, and the district government can only access it if an outbreak occurs.
The central government announced on Sunday that it will require all night entertainment establishments to use this system.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.