(1) Related provisions of the e-Signature Act

• The competent minister may make a Designated Investigative Organization perform the whole or a part of the Minister’s investigative functions related to application certification business.
  (Paragraph 1, Article 17 of the e-Signature Act)
  
  
• If the Designated Investigative Organization performs the Investigation, it shall, without delay, notify the competent minister* of the results of such Investigation.
  (Paragraph 4, Article 17 of the e-Signature Act)
  Note/ * competent ministers:
     - Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications
     - Minister of Justice
     - Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry

(2) Investigations by the Designated Investigative Organizations

• Investigation of new applications for the accreditation of Specified Certification Business (Investigation for new certification business)
• Annual investigation of issued accreditations (Investigation for the renewal of accreditations)
• Investigation of changes in the certification business (Investigation for changes)

(3) Investigation methods

• Document-based investigation: Checklist on conformity with the accreditation criteria; CPS** stating the certification business policies; operation manual; etc.
  
  Note/ ** CPS: Certification Practices Statement
  
  
  
• On-site investigation: Investigation of the facilities for providing the certification business; investigation of the management of certification business by performing system test runs