Becoming Bridge Citizens is a research project led by Dr Stella Micheong Cheong at the Barun ICT Research Centre, Yonsei University. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your information in accordance with the Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant ethical guidelines for research.

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1. Data We Collect and Why

To facilitate our research on the migration rhythms of the North Korean diaspora, we collect various types of information. Firstly, we gather personal identifiers, such as your name and contact details, solely for the purpose of recruitment and ongoing communication. Secondly, through our website’s interactive platforms, we collect research data, which includes digital journals, Photovoice images, and reflections on your life trajectories.

Furthermore, we process special category data, such as information regarding your ethnic origin and migration history, as these are central to our study. However, this data is collected only with your explicit, informed consent and is handled with the utmost sensitivity to ensure that your participation remains safe and meaningful.

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2. How We Protect Your Privacy

The security of your data is our paramount concern, particularly given the sensitive nature of North Korean diasporic research. Consequently, we have implemented rigorous anonymisation and de-identification procedures. For instance, when you upload images via our Photovoice tool, any embedded metadata (such as GPS coordinates or time stamps) is automatically removed to prevent the identification of your location.

In addition, all research data is stored on secure, encrypted servers at Yonsei University. Access is strictly limited to the core research team, and any findings published in journals or presented at conferences will be entirely pseudonymised. This ensures that no individual participant can be identified from the resulting research outputs.

3. Cookies and Website Usage

Our website uses cookies to enhance your user experience and ensure the platform functions effectively across different regions, including the UK, South Korea, and China. Essentially, cookies are small text files placed on your device to help us understand how you interact with our content.

Specifically, we use necessary cookies to enable secure logins for our digital journaling platform. We also employ analytical cookies to monitor site traffic and improve our interface for various devices, such as smartphones and tablets. You have the right to manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings; however, please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our research tools.

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4. Your Rights and Data Retention

In alignment with data protection laws, you hold several rights regarding your information. For example, you may request access to the data we hold about you, or ask for its correction or deletion at any point during the study. Moreover, you have the right to withdraw your consent for participation without any negative consequences.

Regarding retention, we will only keep your personal data for as long as is strictly necessary to fulfil our research objectives and legal obligations. Once the project concludes and the data has been fully analysed and archived, all identifying personal information will be permanently destroyed.

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5. Contact and Further Information

Should you have any questions about this policy or how your data is being handled, please feel free to contact the Principal Investigator.

• Principal Investigator: Dr Stella Micheong Cheong

• Email: s.cheong@yonsei.ac.kr, contact@bridgecitizen.org 

• Affiliation: Barun ICT Research Centre, Yonsei University

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We regularly review this policy to ensure it reflects current legal standards and the evolving nature of our research.