Cyber bullying in Korea

     Cyber bullying is a serious problem in Korea. In recent years, many famous entertainers have killed themselves after being harassed by groundless and malicious comments from anonymous netizens.

     The recent suicide of actress Choi Jin-sil is fueling the debate about the need to regulate cyberspace. According to accounts by Choi's family and acquaintances, Choi was driven to take her own life largely as a result of cyber-bullying. She was greatly disturbed by internet postings that connected her to the death of another actor, Ahn Jae-hwan, who had committed suicide less than a month earlier. Ahn apparently killed himself because he was insolvent and the internet rumor mill depicted Choi as one of the loan sharks he owed money to.

     Distraught by the slanderous internet postings, Choi asked the police to investigate the matter and a securities firm employee was arrested. However, the damage was already done and Choi, who is said to have suffered from depression, gave up on life.

And early last year, a young singer and an actress also committed suicide after suffering extensive verbal abuse on the internet.

     Now as then, calls are being made to change the internet culture in this country. It is unfortunate that Korea, one of the most wired nations in the world, is under siege by netizens who use the anonymity offered by cyberspace to commit cyber bullying.

The Blue House said that it would draw up a new law against cyber defamation and expand the mandatory use of real names on the internet.

 

     Actually, the public mood is ripe for a discussion of the cyber bullying on the internet. Internet users, portal operators, internet service providers, educators, legal experts, sociologists, psychologists should take part in discussing how to deal with this negative aspect of the internet.