(1) A person who intends to centrally collect and store credit information to manage it in a systematic and comprehensive manner and exchange and utilize credit information between credit information companies, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "central management and utilization") shall obtain permission for an information collection agency from the Financial Services Commission. <Amended on Mar. 11, 2015>
(2) A credit information collection agency under paragraph (1) shall obtain permission according to the following classifications: <Amended on Mar. 11, 2015>
1. A centralized credit information collection agency: A credit information collection agency that centrally manages and utilizes the credit information obtained from all financial institutions prescribed by Presidential Decree;
2. An individual credit information collection agency: A credit information collection agency that centrally manages and utilizes the credit information in accordance with agreements, etc. made by associations, etc. established by the same type of business owners other than financial institutions referred to in subparagraph 1.
(3) A person who intends to obtain permission for a credit information collection agency pursuant to paragraph (1), shall satisfy the following requirements: <Amended on Mar. 11, 2015>
1. It shall be a non-profit corporation incorporated under article 32 of the Civil Act;
2. It shall maintain the character of public nature and neutrality, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, in centrally managing and utilizing the credit information;
3. The facility, equipment, and human resources prescribed by Presidential Decree shall be furnished.
(4) Matters necessary to obtain permission under paragraphs (1) and (2) and the revocation thereof, the details and scope of credit information subject to central management and utilization, and the persons with whom credit information is to be exchanged shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree; provided, the exchange and use of credit information between a credit information collection agency and a personal credit rating company, sole proprietor credit rating agency, or corporate credit inquiry company (excluding corporate credit inquiry companies engaged only in the business affairs of corporate information inquiry) shall be conducted in such a manner that the credit information collection agency provides the personal credit rating company, sole proprietor credit rating agency, or corporate credit inquiry company (excluding corporate credit inquiry companies engaged only in the business affairs of corporate information inquiry) with credit information at the request of the latter. <Amended on Mar. 11, 2015; Feb. 4, 2020>
(5) The centralized credit information collection agency subject to paragraph (2)1 (hereinafter referred to as "centralized credit information collection agency"), for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of credit information centrally collected, may investigate as to whether a financial institution duly performs its obligations to provide credit information, as prescribed by the Committee for Intensive Management of Credit information under Article 26. <Amended on Mar. 11, 2015>
(6) A credit information collection agency may establish a common computer network for credit information (hereinafter referred to as "Common Computer Network"), as prescribed by Presidential Decree, and any person who participates in the Common Computer Network shall provide cooperation to maintain and manage it. In such cases, a credit information collection agency shall be a telecommunication business owner under Article 2(1)1 of the Telecommunications Business Act.