VOCUBEPrivacy Policy
Yongsang Kim ("we"), who operates VOCUBE (the "Service"), sets out this Privacy Policy under the Personal Information Protection Act of Korea (PIPA) to protect users' personal information and handle related concerns promptly. This English version is provided for convenience; if it differs from the Korean version, the Korean version prevails.
At a glance
- Every feature works without signing in. Then your word lists stay on your device only, and we receive no name or email.
- If you create an account, we store your email, name and word lists on our server (USA) to sync them across your devices.
- Photos and PDFs you scan are sent to Anthropic's AI (USA) to read the words, and are not stored on our server.
- No ads, no analytics, no location data. We never sell personal information.
- You can delete your account in the app at any time; your data on our server is erased immediately.
1. What we collect and how
| When | Items | How |
|---|---|---|
| Email sign-up | Email address, password (stored only as a one-way hash) | Entered by you |
| Kakao sign-in | Kakao user ID, nickname, email address (if you agree to share it and Kakao has verified it) | From Kakao |
| Google sign-in | Google account ID, name, email address | From Google |
| Apple sign-in | Apple account ID, name (if you share it on first sign-in), email address (may be an Apple "Hide My Email" address), a token used to disconnect Apple when you delete your account | From Apple |
| Synced data (when signed in) | Folders, word lists (words, meanings, example sentences, sentences around highlighted words), stars, study/quiz/review progress, a log of words added (time, method, word count, page count) | Created as you use the app and sent to our server |
| Paid subscription (if you subscribe) | Product, purchase/renewal/expiry dates, App Store transaction ID. Apple handles payment details such as card numbers; we never receive them. | From the Apple App Store |
| Generated automatically | A random device ID created when the app is installed, sign-in session data, server access logs (time, IP address, request type, errors) | Created as you use the Service |
Scanned material: photos, PDFs and words you scan are processed to extract words and generate meanings, synonyms and antonyms, and are not stored on our server (see section 6). We may store dictionary meanings of individual words for reuse, but only the word and its meanings, never linked to you.
We do not collect resident registration numbers, phone numbers, addresses, location, contacts or advertising identifiers. The camera and photo library are used only when you create a word list.
2. Why we use it
Only as needed to provide the Service you signed up for:
- Identifying you, confirming sign-up (email verification), signing in, resetting passwords, disconnecting Kakao/Apple when you delete your account
- Syncing word lists between your devices
- Extracting words from photos and PDFs; generating meanings, synonyms and antonyms
- Applying daily per-device usage limits and preventing abuse
- Providing paid subscriptions and checking subscription status
- Finding errors, keeping the Service stable, answering inquiries
3. How long we keep it
| Item | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account information, synced data | Until you delete your account; then destroyed immediately |
| Email sign-ups never verified | 7 days after sign-up |
| Email verification code / password-reset link / one-time social sign-in code | 10 minutes / 1 hour / 5 minutes (deleted within an hour of expiring) |
| Sign-in sessions | Until you sign out, delete your account, or don't use the session for 180 days |
| Device ID | Not stored in our database; held in server memory for the current day (UTC) only, to count daily usage |
| Server access logs | 90 days (our hosting provider Railway keeps logs for 90 days, then deletes them automatically) |
| Subscription transaction records | As required by Korea's Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce: contracts, cancellations and payments 5 years; complaints and disputes 3 years |
| Scanned photos, PDFs, words | Not stored on our server. For Anthropic, see section 6 |
4. How we destroy it
When the retention period ends or the purpose is fulfilled, we destroy the information without delay, deleting electronic files so they cannot be recovered. Information that other laws require us to keep is stored separately for that period only. We currently keep no separate backups of server data; if we start to, we will state their retention here.
5. Sharing with third parties
We do not provide or sell your personal information to third parties, except where required by law (for example, a lawful request from investigative authorities).
6. Processors and transfers outside Korea
We entrust the following processors, all located in the United States, with processing needed to provide the Service. These transfers are necessary to perform our contract with you and are disclosed here under Article 28-8(1)(3) of PIPA. Data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS).
| Recipient (contact) | Country | Items | Purpose | When / how | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railway Corporation (privacy@railway.com) | USA (California) | Everything in section 1 that is stored on our server | Server hosting and data storage | Whenever you use the Service, over the network | As in section 3 (server access logs 90 days) |
| Anthropic, PBC (privacy@anthropic.com) | USA | Scanned photos and PDFs, words | Extracting words; generating meanings, synonyms, antonyms | When you scan or request meanings, over the network | Not used to train AI models; deleted automatically within 30 days of receipt, unless kept longer where needed to enforce Anthropic's Usage Policy or to comply with the law |
| Plus Five Five, Inc. (Resend) (support@resend.com) | USA | Emails containing your email address and a verification code or password-reset link | Sending verification and password-reset emails | When an email is sent, over the network | Sent emails and delivery logs 30 days |
How to refuse these transfers: if you don't create an account, no account information or word lists are stored with Railway (except the device ID and access logs); if you don't use photo scanning and AI meanings, nothing is sent to Anthropic. Those features are then unavailable.
With Kakao, Google and Apple sign-in, you authenticate directly with each company and we receive only the items in section 1. When you delete your account, we send your account identifier to Kakao and Apple to disconnect it.
7. Children under 14
Only users aged 14 or older can create an account, which we confirm at sign-up. Users under 14 can use every feature without signing in, including scanning, flashcards, quizzes, printing and review; their word lists stay on the device and we collect no name or email. Scanned photos are processed to extract words, so please make sure no names or other personal details are visible in them. If we learn that a child under 14 has created an account, we delete the account and its data without delay. Parents and guardians can contact support@vocube.net to check or delete data.
8. Your rights
You can ask at any time to access, correct, delete or stop the processing of your personal information.
- You can edit or delete your word lists and study records directly in the app.
- For anything else, email support@vocube.net from your account's email address; we will act within 10 days and let you know.
- A legal representative or someone you authorize may act for you, with a letter of authorization.
- If you use the app without signing in, your data is only on your device; you can erase it with My Page → Settings → Reset data (마이페이지 → 설정 → 데이터 초기화) or by deleting the app.
9. Deleting your account
In the app, go to My Page → Settings → Delete account (마이페이지 → 설정 → 회원 탈퇴), tick the confirmation box, and tap 탈퇴하기 in the final confirmation. Your account is deleted right away: your account information, synced folders, word lists, study records and sessions on our server are destroyed immediately, and Kakao/Apple sign-in is disconnected. Word lists, folders, study records and usage history on the device are erased too, and the app returns to its freshly installed state. Only the free-trial usage count stays on the device, so the trial can't be claimed again. If you can't use the app, email support@vocube.net from your account's email address and we will delete it after confirming. A paid subscription must be cancelled separately in your Apple device's Settings → Apple Account → Subscriptions.
10. Security
- Passwords are stored with a one-way hash (scrypt); sessions and verification codes are stored only as hashes.
- All traffic between the app and our server is encrypted with HTTPS.
- On your device, sign-in data is kept in the operating system's secure storage (such as the iOS Keychain).
- Only the operator manages server access and API keys; repeated failed sign-ins and excessive requests are limited.
11. Cookies and tracking
The Service uses no cookies, advertising identifiers, or analytics or tracking tools, and collects no behavioural data. The device ID is used only to count daily usage as described in sections 1 and 3.
12. Privacy officer
Privacy officer: Yongsang Kim (operator)
Email: support@vocube.net
13. Remedies
To resolve a privacy dispute or get advice, you can contact these Korean authorities:
- Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee: 1833-6972 (www.kopico.go.kr)
- Personal Information Infringement Report Center (KISA): 118 (privacy.kisa.or.kr)
- Supreme Prosecutors' Office: 1301 (www.spo.go.kr)
- Korean National Police Agency: 182 (ecrm.police.go.kr)
14. Changes
We announce changes on this page and in the app at least 7 days before they take effect, or 30 days before for changes that significantly affect your rights.
Effective date: ○○ ○○, 2026