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Malicious posts land internet users in court

Korea herald, : 24 January

Prosecutors have decided to get even tougher with Internet users who post malicious content online.
More than 20 people are being indicted over comments they added to an online story about the death of the son of former pro-North Korean activist last July.

The posting of malicious messages on Internet bulletin boards has already led to a number of prosecutions, but this is the first time people posting comments relating to an online article have been indicted.

Those facing prosecution allegedly joked or made insulting comments relating to the death of the 8-year-old son of Im Soo-kyeong, known as a pro-North activist.

Her only son drowned in a pool in the Philippines last summer where he was studying English, the article said.

Im, 37, went to jail for violating the National Security Law after illegally entering North Korea in 1989.

She filed suit against 30 people for allegedly writing hundreds of malicious comments, including "Communist. You deserved the death of your son," on the website of an online newspaper.

Investigators identified the authors by tracking their internet addresses.

If convicted they face up to one-year in prison and fines of 2 million won.

The indictment has alarmed many internet users who see the 'leave your comments' facility on websites as a useful tool to express their opinions.

While providing an opportunity for discussion and feedback about stories, the culture of posting comments has highlighted the dark side of the Internet, where people irresponsibly express extreme opinions from behind a cloak of anonymity.

Widespread cyber defamation in the world's most wired nation has encouraged the government to consider introducing an Internet real-name system.

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By Jin Hyun-joo
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/archives/result_contents.asp?id=200601240011&query=Malicious%20posts