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User Agreement

Hi Korea user agreement

Hi Korea User agreement

Information on comprehensive support service website for foreigners (Hi Korea) 
The Hi Korea is a comprehensive web portal for supporting foreigners. It was created as a part of the Korean government’s efforts to form an electronic government (e-Government), which is built by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ being the main organization), the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and the Ministry of Labor.  It was designed to provide foreigners (those residing in Korea or other countries) with essential information on immigration, investment, employment, and everyday living; as well as means to take care of related civil services and issues on-line.

Chapter 1. General

Article 1.  (Objective)
The objective of this agreement is to define the necessary information that the user needs to know in order to use the Korean comprehensive services website for foreigners (hereafter referred to as “Hi Korea” or “The website”). The necessary information includes (but not limited to) conditions and procedures on the use of the website and rights, obligations and responsibilities of both the Hi Korea and the user.

Article 2. (Effects and change of the agreement)
1. The Hi Korea services will be provided upon the user's approval of the following End User Agreement (hereafter referred to as “EUA”)  Once approved, the EUA applies to all services provided by Hi Korea and users using those services. It will take precedence over any other agreements, unless otherwise specified. 
2. The Hi Korea may change the terms of this EUA without prior notice, and the revised terms will be effective as soon as it is posted.  However, in such event, the changes must be posted on the website so that the user may review the changes should the need arise.  If, at any point, the user does not approve of the revised terms, he/she may cancel their membership registration (withdrawal).  Continued usage of the service, however, will be considered as an approval for the altered terms of the EUA.

Article 3 (Regulations beyond the EUA) 
1. If necessary, the Hi Korea can set separate terms or regulations for its individual services (hereafter referred as ‘Individual service guideline’). Should the EUA conflict with any such individual service guideline, the individual service guideline shall take precedence.
2. Terms not stated here will follow the Basic Telecommunication Act, Telecommunication Business Act, Regulations on Information Communication Ethics Committee, Program Protection Act, and other Regulations on related Laws.

Article 4 (Definition of Terms)
The terms used on this document are defined as follows

1. 'User' : Those receiving service from Hi Korea, based on the EUA
2. 'Registration' : The activity where the user fills out the required information in the application form and agrees to the EUA, thereby sealing the service contract. 
3. 'Member' : Individuals and corporations that have registered by providing required information to the website, and uses services and information provided by Hi Korea. These individuals include, but not limited to, overseas Korean nationality holders, and foreigners residing in Korea.
4. 'Password' : Combination of letters and numbers set by the member for the purpose of identification and protection of privacy.
5. 'Withdrawal' : Termination of the service contract by the member. 
6. Terms not defined in this EUA will be stated in individual service guidelines.

Chapter 2. Provision and Use of Service

Article 5 (Completion of EUA)
1. The EUA will be completed and become effective immediately after you complete the sign-up process by providing required information on a specified online form that is provided by the Hi Korea. 
2. The Hi Korea reserves the right to revoke or deny your membership if you are applicable to  any of the following:
 1) If you had applied using another individual’s information 
 2) If the information that you provided during the sign-up process is false
 3) If the purpose of your membership was to somehow act against social regulations, order, or public morals 
 4) If you are found to be interfering with other members’ use of the service, or are found stealing others’ information
 5) If you are using this site for activities that are against the law or terms of this EUA. 
 6) If you did not satisfy other application requirements set by the Hi Korea 
3. In the event of the following conditions, the Hi Korea reserves the right to hold the completion of your EUA until they are resolved. 
 1) If resources related to its services become insufficient 
 2) In cases of technical failure.
4. Although services provided by the Hi Korea are unified in nature, its components may be either self-developed or jointly coordinated with other organizations. Thus, any specific service may be altered as long as the changes are notified to the users. 
5. If, for any reason, should you decide that you do not wan to receive services provided by the Hi Korea, you may withdraw (terminate) your membership at any time.

Article 6 (Protection & Use of Member Information) 
1. Your personal information will be subjected to the Hi Korea's Privacy Policy. 
2. The Hi Korea member information are collected, used, managed, and protected as follows :
 1) Collection of personal information : The website collects your personal information from what you provide when you initially register as a member.  
 2) Use of personal information : The Hi Korea will not reveal or distribute your personal information to any third parties without your specific consent.  However, in accordance with the regulations in the Basic Act on Telecommunications and other related laws, exceptions are made when it is requested by the Government Agencies, the Law Enforcement in relations to criminal investigation, the Information Communication Ethics Committee (Hereafter referred as KISCOM), or other related related decrees.   In addition, information may be shared with another organization if it is needed for unified management of your user information between Hi Korea and that organization.  Lastly, understand that no effort will be made to protect information that you choose to disclose voluntarily. 
 3) Management of personal information : In the interest of security and ease of management, you may modify or delete your personal information at any time; including those information that is considered unnecessary or irrelevant.
 4) Protection of personal information : Your personal information can only be viewed, modified or deleted by yourself, and this management is based solely on your Login ID and Password.  Therefore, your Login ID and Password must NOT be disclosed to others, and be sure to log out and close all instances of the internet browser after you’re done using Hi Korea’s services (Especially important in public places such as the library or internet cafe) 
3. By registering, you imply that you agree to the aforementioned terms, and give Hi Korea permission to collection and use your personal information as stated in this EUA.

Article 7 (Security of Member Information) 
1. After completion of the registration procedures, you must take responsibility for the security of your own information. You will be responsible for any outcome of the use of your login ID and password
2. All responsibilities for the management of your login ID and password is on yourself.  If you become aware of illegal use of your ID and password, you must report to the Hi Korea in a timely Manner.  Failure to do so will result in your You will be responsible for all Activities resulted by not reporting it.

3. You must take care to completely log out after you’re done using Hi Korea’s services.  Should you fail to do so, Hi Korea will not be held responsible for any resulting damages or losses.

Article 8 (Availability of Service) 
1. The Hi Korea service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; barring any technical or business issues that may arise.
2. Specified Day or Time set by the Hi Korea (on Demand, for periodic Checking, etc) will be considered as an Exception of the Section 1 as well
3. The Hi Korea can subsidize its Service and set additional Period of Use by each subsidized Services. This will be notified to the Users.

Article 9 (Suspension of Service and Notification on the Suspension) 
1. If the Hi Korea must temporarily suspend its services, the fact must be notified at least a week in advance. However, in the event of unavoidable or unforeseeable  reasons such as national crisis, blackout, congestion of service use, or emergency  inspection / installation / replacement of the system, the 1-week period for notification may be reduced or exempted. 
2. Should the Hi Krea service be closed permanently due to internal issues, the fact must be notified at least a month in advance.

Article 10 (Restriction of Service) 
1. If the information you provided are proven to be false, or if there are good reasons to believe that they are, the website may suspend your use of any or all of its services.  In the event of such suspension, Hi Korea will not be held responsible for any resulting drawbacks.
2. This website may restrict/suspend your use of its services, or even block your access completely  if you act against Article 15 of this EUA (Obligations of the Member).
3. If you are found to have violated the terms of this EUA, the Hi Korea may delete all service related information without your approval.

Article 11 (Providing Information & Posting Promotional Material) 
1. In operating its services, the Hi Korea can provide any number of various information to the users, by numerous Methods (i.e posting it on the Service).
2. The Hi Korea can post promotional material that it considered appropriate or beneficial to the service.

Article 12 (Management of Articles submitted to the Hi Korea) 
1. You have legal rights over the content of all articles that you post to the Hi Korea message boards.  
2. However, Hi Korea will reserve the rights to edit or transfer your articles without your consent.  Also, in the event of the following, the Hi Korea can delete your article without prior notice.  
 1) If you post contains content that is against the EUA, illegal, lewd, or violent
 2) If your post abuses other members or third parties, or is otherwise considered defamatory. 
 3) If your post goes against social order and public morals 
 4) If your post is closely associated with criminal acts 
 5) If your post infringes others’ rights (Ex. Copyrights of third parties)
 6) If your post violates other relevant laws 
3. You are solely responsible for all civil or criminal issues that may arise from copyright infringement in your postings.

Chapter 3 Obligations & Responsibilities

Article 13 (Obligations of the Hi Korea) 
1. The Hi Korea will not conduct activities which are against the law, the EUA, or public Morals.  It also has obligations to try to provide continuous, stable service. 
2. The Hi Korea will not reveal or distribute your personal information to any third parties without your specific consent.  However, in accordance with the regulations in the Basic Act on Telecommunications and other related laws, exceptions are made when it is requested by the Government.   In addition, information may be shared with another organization if it is needed for unified management of your user information between Hi Korea and that organization.  
3. The Hi Korea must be equipped with proper security system to protect personal information(including credit information), so as to provide you with safe environment to work with our services. 
4. The Hi Korea is not responsible for any difficulties you might experience while using its services, if said difficulties are self-inflicted.

Article 14  (Obligations of the Members)
1. Information requested during member registration must be true and precise, and it must be regularly updated and maintained.  Also, you must not permit others to use your Login  ID and Password. 
2. You cannot copy, duplicate, modify, translate, publish or broadcast information that was received via the Hi Korea Service without our specific approval.  You are also not allowed to relay this information to others, either.
3. Members must not commit the following
 1) Illegally use others’ Login ID and Password 
 2) Transferring, posting or sending contents that are lewd, violent, or possess information that can infringe others’ privacy (via e-Mail, etc..) 
 3) Use Hi Korea’s content elsewhere without citing the source as this website.
 4) Transferring, posting or sending contents that is protected by related laws or contract (via E-Mail, etc) 
 5)  Transferring, posting or sending contents that infringe others’ patent, license, business secrets, property rights, etc.. (via E-Mail, etc..) 
 6) Using  E-mail or other such means, sending contents that are not approved by the Hi Korea. Some of these include: Advertisement, Publications, Junk Mail, Spam-Mail, Lucky Letter E-Mail, and others. 
 7) Collecting or saving others' personal information 
 8) Involved in conducting criminal activity, or is otherwise associated with criminal intentions.
  9) Involved in activities that are against general public morals or social order 
 10) Involved in activities that damage others’ reputation or insults them (Defamation)
 11) Involved in activities violating others rights (intellectual property rights, etc) 
 12) On-line cracking or distribution of computer viruses 
 13) Constantly sending promotional materials without the recipient’s approval. 
 14) Be involved in any activities that may potentially destabilize the service operation.
 15) Changing information posted in the Hi Korea (excluding your own work)
 16) Other activities in violation of Article 53 of the Telecommunication Act, Article 16 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act (disquiet Communications), or Article 53, Section 3 of the Communications Business Act

Chapter 4 Others

Article 15 (Property of the Hi Korea)
1. The services provided by this website, along with all software, image, logo, design, service name, data, brand, and any other intellectual property needed to run this service, belongs to the Hi Korea 
2. Unless specifically approved, you cannot modify, lend, sell, distribute, transfer, or re-license Hi Korea’s contents or services – in whole or in part.  Nor are you allowed to grant such permission to other third parties.

Article 16  (Prohibition of Transfer)
You cannot transfer, sell, lend or otherwise grant access to your service privileges and user status in Hi Korea to third parties.  Nor can it be used as a collateral.

Article 17  (Compensation of Damage)
Unless caused by intentional criminal activities by the Hi Korea, it is not  responsible for any damage or drawbacks that may result from its free services.

Article 18 (Exemption Clause)
1. The Hi Korea will be exempt from all responsibility for service issues caused by unforeseeable reasons such as natural disasters, war, etc.. 
2. This website is not responsible for damages caused by cable line operators cutting/interfering their electrical or telecommunication services.
3. The Hi Korea is not responsible for damages caused by unavoidable reasons such as repairing, replacing, and inspection of its equipments.
4. The Hi Korea is not responsible for damages caused by errors in your computer, or failure to enter in correct data.
5. The Hi Korea is not responsible for confirming or representing any suggestions or information posted in its services.  Thus, it will not approve, oppose, nor modify such suggestions or information posted by third parties. Also, under no circumstances will the site be responsible for your profits or losses that resulted from using its information. 
6. The Hi Korea is not responsible for any product or monetary exchange via the service between you and another third party.  Also, it is not responsible for any profits you may expect from its services.
7. Users are solely responsible for all information posted, sent, received via the service or E-mail. The Hi Korea does not take any responsibility for them.
8. The Hi Korea does not guarantee accuracy, completeness, or quality of service provided by the members of other related organizations. Therefore, the Hi Korea is not responsible for any losses or damages that results from them.

Article 19 (District Court)
The Seoul Central District Court will be the district court for lawsuits on disputes resulting from service use

Additional Clause
This agreement will be effective as of August 11th, 2006.

Privacy policy

[Hi Korea] respects and upholds the following “Personal Information Protection Policy” 
[Hi Korea] overview

• [Hi Korea] is a general support portal site for foreigners, jointly created by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Ministry of Labor.  It was created with the purpose of providing investment, employment, residence, and everyday living related information; as well as providing related on-line services from a single convenient location.
Automatically collected and stored information (Access Log)

• Upon using [Hi Korea]’s services, information about which page you view and while files get downloaded are collected and stored in our servers without your explicit consent. This information can not be used to track or identify an individual by itself, and it is not tied to any specific user profile. Its purpose is strictly to serve as base data to help improve our site. The specific data collected are as follows: your internet domain (the domain name of your internet service provider), your I.P address (a unique set of numbers that gets assigned to your computer by the network), your browser and OS, date of visit, and pages you visited.
Information sent by posting on our message boards or sending e-mails

• Personal data entered when submitting applications at [Hi Korea] is absolutely essential for processing, and must be entered correctly. This information can only be viewed by selected few agencies that require it, and failure to do so may result in application not getting processed by the agency in charge. Information sent to us through e-mail (e-mail address, phone number, address, etc) is also strictly protected. All information collected by aforementioned methods are protected under the [Protection of Personal Information by Public Agencies Law], and it is never used for commercial purposes or to maintain a profile of any user.
Protection of personal information by the linked sites

• If you’re directed to a separate website that’s operated by another agency or department through our links, information that you provide to those sites will follow their own personal information policy. 
Notification for user responsibilities

• Should any user use [Hi Korea] to infringe upon another individual’s rights or harm agencies by spreading false information, all responsibilities will lie with that individual. Such user’s personal information may no longer be protected by the [Protection of Personal Information by Public Agencies Law]. 
Notification of infringement of personal information

• If, at any point while using [Hi Korea] website, you discover any fact that may result in infringement of the rights of those that provided their information (such as possibility of personal information getting leaked), please contact us through any of the following methods.

• E-mail : hikorea@hikorea.go.kr 
• Fax : (02)2650 - 6296 
• Phone : (02)2650 - 6387

I have read accept the user agreement and privacy policy.

※ To take advantage of our civil application services, such as desertion notification and extension of stay, you must register for private membership.
Please be advised that corporate members can only use investment-related services.