hankyoreh

in front of the conference room where the Korea Broadcasting System board meeting was being held

The administration and the ruling Grand National Party are moving to control public opinion on the internet that is disadvantageous to them.

In the welcome speech at the opening event for a meeting of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ministers at the COEX convention center in Seoul’s Samseong-dong on June 17, President Lee Myung-bak said, “Spam mail from anonymous users and the spread of false and inaccurate information is threatening reason and trust on the internet. The internet needs to be a place of trust. The strength of the internet can be poison instead of medicine if people cannot have faith in it.”

As a leading Internet-driven country, Korea is exhibiting the powerful influence of the Internet in all fields, including politics, the economy, society and culture, according to President Lee, adding, “We are experiencing that the Internet is very useful when it works positively, while it has very harmful effects when it works negatively.” Such remarks by President Lee apparently are based on the perception that “false information” spread by the Internet has aggravated concerns about mad cow disease and led to candlelight rallies, consequently shaking the current political situation.

The government and ruling Grand National Party are taking steps to restrict or control the Internet media.

It is believed that the Korea Communications Commission will soon expand the coverage of the Internet real-name system. A KCC official said, “Since May, a research team of 16 external members has been formed to expand the Internet real-name system.”

The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae will hire an individual to act as a new presidential advisor on the Internet. He or she will report to a senior presidential secretary for public relations, with the mission of actively coping with public opinions on the Web and aiming to stop the spread of negative opinions. In addition, the new presidential Internet advisor was expected to be involved in drafting and pushing for Internet-related government policies.

In response to the government’s move, Min Kyung-bae, an NGO professor of Kyung Hee Cyber University, said, “With the government losing the trust of people, I think it would be inappropriate that the government announce its stance on the Internet.” “It would be a natural course for the President to restore first his trust from the Internet and citizens,” Min said.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]