KOREA: Busy websites need real name registration

Proposed system requires Web users to ID themselves when posting on web portals or on sites of public organizations

Korea Herald
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
 
By Kim Yoon-mi

The internet real-name system, designed to prevent cyber crimes such as libel and privacy infringement, will be applied to Web portals and websites of public organizations with over 100,000 visitors per day.

The system will require Web users to identify themselves with their real names when posting entries and commenting on others' articles, the government said yesterday.

A revision bill of "the law on promotion of information and communications network and protection of information," was passed by the National Assembly on Dec. 22. The bill will be promulgated this month, the Ministry of Information and Communication said.

Under the bill, information and communications service providers that have more than 100,000 users per day should check the names on the postings and comments of their websites.

The new regulation will affect not only Web portal sites but those operated by state-run organizations, local governments and government-invested agencies.

If comments or postings on such websites are not registered with real names, the information minister can order the operator to redress the problem. Up to 30 million won in fines will be levied if the operator does not comply with the order, the ministry said.

The ministry and the governing Uri party decided in July to restrict the identification check system. They originally proposed that the real-name regulation would only apply to portals with 300,000 visitors a day and media websites with 200,000 a day.

The new bill reduced the number of minimum visitors to 100,000, and added government-related websites to the list of those subject to the regulation.

The Information Ministry said it will hold public hearings in February and expect it to take effect in July.

The new government regulation has drawn opposition from some experts, civic groups and lawmakers.

Rep. You Seung-hee, a vocal critic of the internet real-name system, said it would severely infringe on the freedom of expression, individual rights of expression, and encourage operators of information and communication services to delete information more readily.

"The revision bill is a watered-downed version of the initial bill proposed by Rep. Lee Sang-bae, who wanted stricter rules on the real-name system. But You is still against the real-name system even though the bill was passed," said You's aide, Joo Il-sik.

Date Posted: 1/10/2007