'탐정 창업시대'... '한국판 셜록' 나올까…탐정 '합법과 불법 사이'

After South Korea's National Assembly removed a ban on private detective work this year, there has been growing interest in that particular line of work.
Oh Soo-young reports.
29 year old Choi Hwan-wook is working undercover as a building maintenance worker.
He's collecting evidence on whether a resident of this apartment has made false insurance claims.
Since 2018, Choi has been running an investigation firm in his home city of Busan.
But it was only since August this year that he could proudly call himself a "private detective" or tamjeong in Korean.
The title was previously banned from use in South Korea, due to privacy concerns fueled by association with morally suspect "errand agencies" conducting illegal background checks.
But a Constitutional Court ruling last June and the amendment of the credit information law this year,... allowed private detective work to become a formal profession.
"Right now, there isn't a nationally standardized process of becoming a private detective. But there has been a growing number of educational sessions taking place, offering theoretical and practical training."
"It's been my passion to help others who are suffering silently and this job is for me."
From picking up crucial clues and slipping into buildings to tailing persons of interest and communicating with clients, Choi is one of the few teaching the tricks of the trade which he says is a blue ocean.
According to one study, the industry could generate 1.3 trillion won a year,... and create 15-thousand jobs.
"Just as there are specialists in different areas of law, I hope to see the private investigative market become more professional and price competitive to offer good quality services. "
But challenges remain.
Legal experts are on the fence,... saying there is great potential to breach personal privacy.
"Most of the tasks such as collecting personal details and location violate current laws on privacy and information protection. They also breach the Attorney Act, while following people can fall under stalking under the minor offences act. The line between legal and illegal activities is still unclear."
There are also calls to standardize some 27 qualification systems that currently exist to ensure the quality and legitimacy of investigative services.
Until there's greater legal and systematic clarity,... private detectives in South Korea may have to wait until the game is afoot.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.