South Korean police aiming to equip all new handsets with GPS?

Presumably taking a note from Japan, it's being reported that South Korean police are backing a highly controversial plan that would equip each new mobile sold in the nation with a GPS chip. Reportedly, Song Kang-ho, chief of the investigation bureau of the National Police Agency, has stated that the government has "already submitted a related bill to the National Assembly," and the general idea here is to crack down on the rise of kidnapping and various other crimes against children and women (not much different than we Americans having such a chip for E911, really). Granted, there's not a lot of supporting evidence that this is actually set to go down, so until we see it inked in stone, our skeptic hats are remaining in place.

[Via textually, image courtesy of The New York Times]

[Bman @ Mar 29th 2008 12:44PM]

And I thought the Real ID plan was bad.

[Nathan @ Mar 29th 2008 2:16PM]

This is all very frightening, but most phones in the US contain some sort of GPS tracking system, and all it takes to get access to them is the *hint* of probable cause.

Law enforcement in the United States has been able to achieve what some SK politician wants, for the most part, without legislation. (Though I am not sure how the legal system works in SK, e.g., do they need to get a warrant first?)

[Bman @ Mar 29th 2008 2:38PM]

No, because I can turn off the GPS. It looks like they want it to be always on.

And I am always skeptical of people tracking my every move. Sure, the current government leaders might be all pure and good. But what about the next ones? What precedent does that set?

If you like the current president and think he should have sweeping powers, what iuf Hilary Clinton wins? She would have the same powers.

People often don't think about the long term effects of things like this, and that scares me. I'm no Ron Paul, but absolute power does corrupt absolutely.

[Nathan @ Mar 29th 2008 2:53PM]

You can turn your GPS off to third parties, but not to the service provider. All they need is a warrant from an interested law enforcement agency and you are being watched.

[BigD145 @ Mar 29th 2008 3:29PM]

There's a '911' mode for the GPS in American phones. On my LG it's that or 'public' mode. There is no off.

[JimReaper @ Mar 29th 2008 12:54PM]

I thought big brother was watching in the UK!

[JimReaper @ Mar 29th 2008 12:56PM]

I think your looking for a racism discussion site, we're here to talk GADGETS.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Mar 29th 2008 12:57PM]

We already have this in the US, or at least have in process.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E911#Wireless_Enhanced_911

[JimReaper @ Mar 29th 2008 1:00PM]

'Mobile phone users may also have a selection to permit the location information gathered to be sent to other phone numbers or data networks, so that it can help people who are simply lost or want other location-based services. By default, this selection is usually turned off, to protect privacy'

At least you guys have a chance of privacy, something tells me the Koreans won't get such a luxury.

[Shane @ Mar 29th 2008 1:28PM]

I was going to post the same thing. All current handsets that are sold in the US have E911 AGPS (assisted GPS) location capability.

The default is to have it ONLY enabled for 911 calls but for Verizon's Navigator or Chaparone service it needs to be enabled full time.

[Yevon @ Mar 29th 2008 12:58PM]

That orange looks yummy.

[Nathan @ Mar 29th 2008 3:10PM]

I think I would like the pink hat more than the orange.

[For2itous @ Mar 29th 2008 1:01PM]

Jim: Racist? No... merely humor derived from linguistic stereotypes... much as we laugh at Miss South Carolina's humorous "U.S. American" linguistic faux pas.... at least, that was the intent.

[Nazul @ Mar 29th 2008 1:03PM]

No where to run, no where to hid.

[Nathan @ Mar 29th 2008 2:19PM]

Break on through, to the other side? (yeah I know, *you* ruined the first part by not using the word try in place of nowhere)

[Nazul @ Mar 29th 2008 10:11PM]

You got it.

[thelittleleaguecoach.com @ Mar 29th 2008 1:09PM]

I am not sure I want to know where everyone is all the time. How are we supposed to find time to play?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 29th 2008 1:16PM]

Finally, news after 5 hours.

[JimReaper @ Mar 29th 2008 1:20PM]

However you put it your comment was prejudice toward Korean people, I'm sorry but I have no idea who Miss South Carolina is since I don't follow the miss America contest. Surely it is obvious to you that humour 'derived from linguistic stereotypes' at the very least supports prejudice opinions because to stereotype people is to encourage prejudice views of them.

[Josh L @ Mar 29th 2008 1:24PM]

@ JimReaper:

Lighten up. It's oversensitive babies like you that perpetuate racism, not wise-crackers like For2itous.

(Though typing his name made me cringe a little bit.)

[SFO Kevin @ Mar 29th 2008 1:25PM]

I bet the Cubans do the same thing... and make them waterproof too!...

[x3s @ Mar 29th 2008 1:27PM]

Laughter Attempt: FAIL

[For2itous @ Mar 29th 2008 1:31PM]

Jim: I grant you your point and hereby appologize... but, and answer honestly here, were the story about mandatory GPS inclusion in, say Russian phones, and my comment consisted of vintage 'Boris Badenough' dialogue (a la Rocky n' Bullwinkle), wouldn't you crack just the *tiniest* of smiles?

[Silas Miller @ Mar 29th 2008 1:43PM]

So once again the innocent people have to pay for the guilty, while the guilty will most likely find ways of stripping or disabling the tech. Rejoice!!!

[Nathan @ Mar 29th 2008 2:21PM]

I wonder if the dumb criminals realize that they can just take the battery out of the phone until they are done with the crime.

[Bman21212 @ Mar 29th 2008 2:40PM]

I don't think this is about tracking the criminals as much as it is about tracking the people who were kidnapped. But both could be done.

[DarkLightConnection Unbanned @ Mar 29th 2008 8:38PM]

You got it... I'm not Korean, but I'm already heating up my soldering iron to burnnNn that GPS IC when it arrives to Mexico :-)

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 29th 2008 3:02PM]

No, I wouldn't anyway. But then again, I'm not 12 years old.

[For2itous @ Mar 29th 2008 3:27PM]

While I fully support your choice to remain humorless and/or otherwise unmoved by possibly bad 'Badenough' dialogue... please don't imply that The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show catered soley to sub-teens... I think most in a position to know would agree that that show was in fact the 'Simpsons of the Sixties'! (Ok, I'm 'leggoing your Eggo' now...)

[BigD145 @ Mar 29th 2008 3:30PM]

We laugh at Miss South Carolina because she talks like a 2 year old. It has nothing to do with her regional dialect.

[The_Steven @ Mar 29th 2008 4:36PM]

Uh Oh, don't let "George II" hear about this or he'll make it illeagle to leave your phone at home or let the battery die.

[Reader @ Mar 29th 2008 4:45PM]

Although I didn't find it funny, you people are too politically correct.

[Johan S @ Mar 29th 2008 5:54PM]

There needs to be a biometrically activated tracking system. That is, when a person is in a panic various stress electrical signals etc. detected, the system should detect it and trigger the GPS and signal for immediate help. Otherwise this stuff would be too late to do anyone any good.

[Wwhat @ Mar 30th 2008 1:30AM]

HAha, I'm guessing you don't work in any profession that would be part of the response team.

[ericisshort @ Mar 29th 2008 6:59PM]

Imitating accents is in no way racist. You people need to lighten up.

[HyperHacker @ Mar 30th 2008 12:20AM]

GPS in all new phones? You mean that isn't _already_ the case? >_>

[Wwhat @ Mar 30th 2008 1:28AM]

Against kidnapping? obviously if the government mandates GPS and everybody knows that, and everybody has a cellphone with GPS what is the first thing even the dumbest kidnappers will do you think?
Weak excuse korean fascist, weak excuse.

[Scott H @ Mar 31st 2008 10:12AM]

It's even a more failed attempt when you realize that Koreans have no problem saying L's and W's as those sounds are both present in their language. It is R's that Korean's have difficultly with since that sounds in not present in their language. This is coming for someone who taught English for 2 years in Korea, and can read and write Korean.