In the modern information society driven by advances in digital technology, information plays a more pivotal role than physical evidence in uncovering the truth of an incident. Consequently, digital evidence has become an essential element in criminal...
In the modern information society driven by advances in digital technology, information plays a more pivotal role than physical evidence in uncovering the truth of an incident. Consequently, digital evidence has become an essential element in criminal investigations and trial proceedings. Accordingly, Article 106(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act, as amended in 2011, newly established the method for seizing digital evidence. However, the newly added provision has an ambiguous structure mixing seizure and submission, and its legal nature remains unclear in relation to Articles 106(1) and (2). Furthermore, it applies the same procedure without distinguishing between suspects and third parties, potentially imposing excessive coercive force on third parties not directly related to the crime. Furthermore, given the inherent nature of information stored on the information media subject to seizure, it is questionable whether this provision regulates the seizure of information corresponding to the seizure of objects under Article 106(1), signifies a submission order for third-party-held information (such as that held by owners) as stipulated in Article 106(2), or addresses both (i.e., seizure under (1) for suspects and and a submission order against third parties under Paragraph 2). The Criminal Procedure Act centers seizure regulation on courts, and because investigative agencies apply these provisions only by analogy, their own seizure rules are not as detailed as those governing courts. As it delays investigations by limiting early-stage information seizure and suspect apprehension, an independent information warrant separate from object-based coercive measures is required. Although third parties must provide information based on statutory legal authority rather than voluntary cooperation, academic opinion denies investigative agencies the power to issue submission orders due to concerns over abuse and human rights violations. This study concludes that a legal framework for investigative agencies' acquisition of third party held information should be established to balance the interests of data subjects, third parties, and investigative agencies. The proposed legal amendment distinguishes between information warrants, which have relaxed issuance requirements depending on the target, and conventional search-and-seizure warrants, which have stricter criteria. Additionally, the amendment proposes an explicit provision for third-party information submission orders by investigative authorities.