Key Summary
- The Public Procurement Service said the identity-check photos of 189 evaluation committee members were leaked to an external generative AI service.
- According to the agency, one internal employee uploaded the face photos to ChatGPT while testing an AI system for online evaluation work between July and October.
- The agency said no other personal data, such as names, resident registration numbers, or bank account numbers, was exposed.
- It also said no secondary damage has been confirmed so far.
Main Story
Korea’s Public Procurement Service said on Thursday that the identity-verification photos of 189 people who took part in online evaluations had been uploaded to an outside generative AI platform.
The agency said an internal employee uploaded the facial images to ChatGPT during work from July through October that involved developing and testing an AI system intended to improve online evaluation procedures.
Officials said the exposure was limited to the photos and did not include other personal information such as names, resident registration numbers, or bank account details. The agency added that it has not confirmed any secondary harm from the incident.
On the 6th, the Public Procurement Service reported the matter to the Personal Information Protection Commission. It also began notifying the affected committee members individually and asked the service provider to delete the images.
The agency said it has formed a dedicated response team to examine whether the photos have spread further and to strengthen its security controls so that personal data is not sent without authorization to external AI services.
Background
The supplied text does not provide additional background beyond the agency’s explanation of the incident and its immediate response.
Items Requiring Further Verification
- The exact circumstances under which the employee uploaded the photos to ChatGPT, including whether the action was authorized or a procedural mistake, were not detailed in the source.
- The claim that no secondary damage has occurred is based on the agency’s current confirmation and may require independent verification.
- The extent of any possible further spread of the images remains under investigation.