By Kim Eun-ji

A Seoul court Monday fined 5 million won each on two men for illegal collection of personal information using free smartphone applications they created.

A corporate owner identified as Kwon, 37, and another man were convicted for collecting 230,000 cell phone numbers and USIM card numbers of the users who downloaded the apps on pornography and others, according to the Seoul Central District Court on May 28.

“The court took into account that the information was not yet distributed,” said Judge Lee Sung-ho in the ruling. “However in an information-oriented society where personal information can be leaked and abused easily, the crime is serious.”

Judge Lee added that such crimes prevent the information network systems from developing and may discredit information provided online.

USIM card numbers are what hackers may use to hack smartphones, said You Dong- hoon, a manager of INetCop, an Internet security protection corporation. Personal information can also be misused when handed over to people like pornography advertisers.

It is important to prevent such personal data leak incidents by using vaccine programs such as Korea Internet Security Agency(KISA)’s S.S. Checker, said You.