Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hellofaniceguy]

It would not surprise me if this site is on the list as well as other korean ESL sites....so..freedom...is not in korea is it? People can't visit what site they want to without getting a visit from the man. What is a questionable site? Subjective impression. I am sure the sex sites will also be watched. It's ironic in a way...these same people who think they are rightous and think their crap doesn't stink are always goody two shoes in front of the public..yet, after work..where are they!!! Singing rooms, barber shops, RLD's, etc...
I can certainly see the need for keeping track of kiddy porn user sites, etc... but what about the others? Korean people are once again going backwards.

February 16, 2005 �� An investigative arm of the Korean government has been secretly preparing a surveillance system for tracking Internet users and monitoring all activity on certain Web sites.
According to a top-secret report from the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office, obtained exclusively by the JoongAng Ilbo, the system would enable investigators to conduct round-the-clock surveillance of all activity at targeted Web sites, including sites based at the community Internet portals popular in Korea.
Investigators could also target individuals for total surveillance of their online activity. All of this could be done without obtaining a warrant, according to prosecutors.
The report says the prosecutors' office solicited bids last year from potential developers for the project. Bidding was opened only to three information technology firms, under the condition that the companies maintain the secrecy of the surveillance project as well as the conditions of the contract.
Among the features the prosecutors' office required of the system: 24-hour surveillance of about 300 Web sites that the office had designated as requiring continuous observation. The office also wanted the system to have the capacity to compile lists of frequent visitors to these sites, and to then find the online IDs and Internet protocol, or IP addresses, of those people. Finally, the prosecutors wanted the system to be capable of monitoring the Internet activities of certain individuals around the clock.
While it remains unclear what kinds of crime the system is meant to address, an official with the prosecutors' office said they intended to scan sites in major Internet portals that might have "harmful" content. The official wouldn't be more specific.
The prosecutors' office awarded the development contract to a partnership, formed for this purpose, between a large software company and a start-up tech firm. The two companies began building the system last month; it is scheduled to be completed by the end of March. The prosecutors' office would be able to use the system without the assistance of fixed-wire or mobile communications providers. To date, government investigators have had to cooperate with Internet service providers and telecom companies to obtain suspects' personal information. This required getting a warrant �� a step investigators would not have to go through under the new system.
The system is designed to automatically record all ongoing activity at the targeted Web sites. Investigators monitoring the targeted Internet users would be able to read their e-mails and instant-messaging conversations, see what games they might be playing online and pinpoint the physical location of the users' Internet connection.
The technology is based on location-tracing technology that was developed by the Korean tech start-up firm involved in the project. It operates immediately upon demand, unlike phone calls, which take time to trace.
Even if the user uses a proxy server, the program can detect the end user. It also breaks through firewalls that have been upgraded with Microsoft's latest patch for the Windows computer platform.
"Only agents of the highest level will be able to access the system, which is locked with a strict authorization process," an employee of one of the companies in the partnership said. "Other state investigative bodies are expressing their interest in the system as well."
Legal and tech industry specialists expressed concern about the project, saying it could blur the line between investigation and invasion of privacy.
"There are no laws regarding the privacy of those that are subject to online surveillance of investigation agencies, but it definitely touches on privacy issues," said Kim Gap-bae, a senior official at the Korean Federal Bar Association.

[Derrek]

I can't see the average Korean netizen going along with this unless it is only used against foreigners.

[cellphone]

I've wanted to say this for some time now, and I think it warrants real discussion by those who are more knowledgeable on the matter, but I've felt that if anything Korea is growing towards a communism rather than a Westernization. My impressions is that arguments trying to imply Korea is becoming more of a capitalist, free market region and anything of an "open society" would be merely circumstantial or coincidental as well as misleading imagery. To me the real underbelly seems that for the long term, Koreans want to lock up their country now that they've acquired 10 years of great improvements.

[Derrek]

Well, it's hurting them, CP.

On a global scale, many businesses shy away from Korea due to the difficulties of doing buisness here.

And we all know how the Korean economy is doing.

[Paji eh Wong]

[fusionbarnone]

Your best defence is to go to C-Net and download free anti-logger software(will tell you if someone is try to read your keyboard as you type) and a a good anti-spyware program(to detect and prevent trojans). Try spysweeper. security is always a big concern whenever you access the net.

[Cohiba]

[Wangja]

As I said on the similar thread elsewhere, isn't this copied from section 212.2.1 (a). (iv) of the Patriot Act?

[Derrek]

Yeah, probably someone trying to be cute and replacing the "USA" lines with "Korea."

Trying to freak out people on the other side of his "cause" so he can turn around and get a laugh.