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Seoul on June 20 to protest the attitude of MBC’s coverage of U.S. beef imports issues.

The prosecution is taking steps to launch a probe against the voluntary campaign by Internet users which calls on companies to remove their ads from “ChoJoongDong,” an acronym that refers to the three major conservative newspapers, the Chosun Ilbo, the JoongAng Ilbo and the Dong-a Ilbo. Prosecutors said the probe would focus on information exchanges among citizens which protest against the conservative media’s journalistic stance and make telephone calls to boycott their advertisers. The move is stirring up a controversy of “political prosecution” and the prosecutor is also being accused of conducting an irrational investigation.

In a press conference on June 20, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office unveiled its plan to crack down on “criminals causing a harmful environment on the Internet, especially including cyber violence.” The Supreme Prosecution ordered its investigators nationwide to crack down on attempts to make collective threats and harsh statements on the Internet, including a call to stop placing ads; an act which defames a person by spreading rumors or posting an insulting reply message; an act which leads to collective threats and slander by publicizing personal information on the Web. Of potential suspects, given their ways of committing crimes and the extent of damage, the prosecution said it plans to detain those who have the possibility of destroying evidence for questioning.

“We decided to carry out a special crackdown under the justice minister’s order,” said Ahn Sang-don, a senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. “At first, we started figuring out the actual conditions,” Ahn said. As for suspects who allegedly made threats or obstructed business, the prosecution is considering indicting them for violating a law governing punishments against violence and others.

Earlier in the day, Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han ordered prosecutors to thoroughly crack down on activities against advertisers, saying “People are significantly worried as the activities of defamation, spreading false rumors and threatening companies to stop placing ads were recently reaching a dangerous level on some parts of the Internet.”

However, critics accused the prosecution of going too far by expressing its willingness to conduct the probe with no complaints filed. In addition, the prosecution is being criticized for conducting a “bluff probe” to quit the campaign against the three conservative newspapers.

A judge at the Supreme Court, who asked not to be named, said, “The prosecution can start to prove legal responsibility for the internet users only when they spread false rumors or obstruct business by a deceptive plan or force. But, making a phone call to an advertiser or posting a message on a bulletin board doesn’t come under the category of false rumor, deceptive plan or force.”

Jang Yeo-gyeong, an activist of Jinbonet, the Progressive network on the Internet, said, “The prosecution is taking the same step as it did for a probe in May against mad cow disease rumors.” “The purpose of a probe against the ad issues with no clear irregularity is that public opinions on the Internet have a tendency of contraction by a bluff of investigation,” Jang pointed out.

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