[Chosun Ilbo, October 6 2008] We Need Consensus on Regulating the Web

The government and ruling party have decided to create a law that punishes people who slander others in cyberspace. The measure was prompted by the death of actress Choi Jin-sil, who apparently committed suicide after being hounded by malicious rumors on the Internet. The government and Grand National Party also decided to require people to register with their real names on more websites before posting messages.

The Cyber Terror Response Center of the National Police Agency received complaints about 4,991 cases of Internet violence in 2003, and this almost tripled to 12,905 in 2007. Some celebrities have killed themselves after becoming the targets of cyber terror, while others, from ordinary people to businesses, suffered indiscriminate cyber attacks. Two different groups of movie directors issued statements saying they hope Choi’s case would provide the impetus to “purify” the Internet, which had been contaminated by false rumors and irresponsible attacks against others by anonymous people. Even movie directors, who cherish their right to freedom of expression, are saying they want to go back to the analog days when people wrote letters to each other. This is how far things have gone.