DEAR Korean Medicine Clinic
Privacy Policy

Article 1. Purposes of processing

DEAR processes the minimum personal information necessary to provide medical care, verify patients and manage records, collect and refund fees, confirm insurance eligibility and submit lawful claims, manage appointments and notices, respond to inquiries and complaints, and fulfill duties under applicable laws. If a purpose changes, DEAR takes the measures required by law, including obtaining separate consent where necessary.

Article 2. Categories of personal information

Information may include name, date of birth, sex, address, contact details, identity and insurance eligibility information; resident or foreign registration numbers where processing is permitted by law; symptoms, medical history, medications, test results, diagnoses, prescriptions, treatment and progress; payment, insurance and certificate information; and guardian details for minors or patients requiring a representative.

Website use

This website has no membership, online consultation form, or field through which visitors directly submit personal information. When you move to Naver Booking, Naver Talk, the blog, Instagram, or another external service, that service provider's privacy policy applies.

Article 3. Retention period

Information is retained for the period required by law or necessary for its purpose. Under Korea's Medical Service Act Enforcement Rule, key periods include: patient register 5 years; medical records 10 years; prescriptions 2 years; surgery records 10 years; examination findings 5 years; radiographs and reports 5 years; nursing and midwifery records 5 years; and copies of medical certificates 3 years. A period applies only when the relevant record is created and may be extended where permitted for continuing care.

Article 4. Provision to third parties

DEAR does not provide personal information to third parties beyond the stated purposes unless the patient consents or the law specifically permits or requires it. Lawful recipients may include the National Health Insurance Service, Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, competent government bodies, courts, and investigative agencies acting under a lawful request.

Article 5. Entrustment of processing

The website does not outsource visitor personal-information processing because it does not operate membership or an in-house consultation form. If clinical, claims, or systems processing is entrusted, DEAR documents purpose limitations, safeguards, subcontracting limits, supervision, and responsibility as required by Article 26 of the Personal Information Protection Act and discloses the contractor and entrusted work.

Article 6. Destruction

When a retention period expires or a purpose is achieved, information is destroyed without delay unless continued retention is legally required. Electronic files are deleted so they cannot be restored; paper is shredded or incinerated; and storage media is securely erased or physically destroyed.

Article 7. Rights of data subjects and representatives

You may request access, correction or deletion, suspension of processing, withdrawal of consent, or an explanation of or objection to an automated decision. A legal representative may exercise rights for a child under 14. Requests may be made in person or by calling DEAR, and identity or authority may be verified. Rights may be limited where another law requires retention, another person's rights could be harmed, or the law restricts access or suspension.

Article 8. Security measures

DEAR applies administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, including staff oversight and training, minimum access privileges, access-control and security software, protection of credentials and important information, preservation of access logs, and controlled storage and destruction of documents and media.

Article 9. Cookies and analytics

DEAR uses Google Analytics 4 to understand website use and improve services. Page visits, access times, device and browser information, approximate region, referral source, and clicks on key call or booking buttons may be collected through cookies. Names, contact details, medical records, and other directly identifying patient information are not entered into analytics events. You may reject or delete cookies in your browser without losing ordinary access to the website or its call and external-booking links.

DEAR does not currently install Meta Pixel or Naver advertising trackers for personalized advertising. Material changes will be disclosed in this policy.

Article 10. Automated decisions

DEAR does not use personal information to make fully automated decisions about eligibility for care, treatment methods, or other matters that significantly affect patient rights or obligations.

Article 11. Privacy officer and inquiries

Requests concerning access, correction, deletion, suspension, complaints, or other privacy matters may be made through the number above.

Article 12. Remedies

For consultation or remedies concerning a privacy infringement in Korea, contact the Personal Information Infringement Report Center at 118, the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee at 1833-6972, or the competent police or administrative authority.

Article 13. Changes to this policy

This policy took effect on July 29, 2026. Changes and their effective date will be published on the website.