South Korea to send indictments via cellphone instead of mail to save money

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea will begin sending indictments and other legal notices to people through cellphones instead of ordinary mail next year, an official said. The move is designed to save time and money and enhance privacy, said Jun Dae-jin of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

"We plan to send text and voice messages to people if they want to receive legal notices electronically," Jun said.

The notices will be sent via cellphone on a trial basis beginning in January, and full service will begin within the first half of next year, he said.

Prosecutors expect to save the equivalent of about $184,000 Cdn a year by shifting to new service.

About 80 per cent of South Korea's 48 million people own cellphones, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

© The Canadian Press, 2005