Internet crackdown ensues in wake of actress suicide

By Kim Hyun

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The government on Monday tried to assuage public shock following the chilling suicide of iconic actress Choi Jin-sil, with a rush of copycat deaths prompting a police drive to crack down on vicious online rumors thought to have pushed Choi to her death.

The death of 40-year-old Choi, noted as "The People's Star," was a painful shock
to a nation that had watched her climb the career ladder over the past two
decades to become a household name.
Malicious online slander and depression after an ugly divorce were cited as the
main factors that drove Choi to suicide.
Hoping to prevent fallout from the celebrity's death, the National Police Agency
launched a month-long crackdown on online defamation, mobilizing 900
investigators to monitor those who post malicious rumors on the Web.
"It is the first time for us to launch this extensive crackdown, particularly on
vicious messages on the Internet," said Lee Choon-seong, an officer of the Cyber
Terror Response Center of the police agency handling the crackdown.
"There has been growing concern about the Internet messages, and the actress'
death has encouraged several others to take their own lives. We are trying to
contain possible further impact," he said.
Several similar deaths have been reported, stoking fears that Choi's suicide
could spark a wave of copycat suicides.
Barely a day after Choi's death, Jang Chae-won, an up-and-coming transgender
entertainer, took her own life on Friday at her house. Police say Jang had
identified emotionally with Choi, even though her suicide is believed to have
been caused by a breakup with her boyfriend.
Several other cases were also reported, involving mostly women suffering
depression who hanged themselves the same way that Choi had.
Aside from online rumor-mongers, police noted that those who produce and
circulate tip sheets with prying stories on private lives of entertainers and
politicians will be also brought to justice.
Securities companies are thought to be the most common origin of such tip sheets,
distributed widely to conglomerates' informants or private detectives to serve
their investors, shareholders or customers.
In their probe into Choi's death, police have named a securities company employee
as the source of the vicious rumors.
Web postings had spread claiming Choi had loaned another actor, Ahn Jae-hwan, a
substantial sum of money. Ahn committed suicide last month, presumably under
pressure from loan sharks. Police have since concluded that the rumors were
groundless.
Shock from Choi's death sparked a political debate over how to punish cyber
defamation. The ruling Grand National Party is pushing for legislation against
online rumor mongers in the ongoing assembly session, while the opposition sees
the move as a political gambit to tame the Internet.
"There will be continuing nuisances from malicious messages on the Internet
should we not legislate against it," Hong Joon-pyo, floor leader for the
conservative party, said.
Under the envisioned Cyber Defamation Law that the ruling party is seeking to
pass by December, all users will be required to identify themselves by their real
names before posting comments while those who post malicious rumors on the Web
will be punished.
Liberals say that there is already an existing information and communication law
to address online defamation. They compare the new legislation to "martial law"
-- like that imposed by the authoritarian regime of the 1970s -- aimed at gagging
the Internet community made up mostly of young users who tend to be critical of
the conservative Lee Myung-bak government.
"The Lee Myung-bak government and the Grand National Party are trying to proclaim
martial law in cyber space," Rep. Chun Jung-bae said. "Cyber defamation should be
sternly dealt with, but we should not use Ms. Choi Jin-sil's death as a political
means to constrain the freedom of expression."
Amid intensifying crackdowns on the Web, experts cautioned against hasty
finger-pointing at the Internet.
There could have been a variety of other factors behind Choi's suicide, such as
pressure from the success-driven, highly competitive nature of Korean society,
said Chun Sang-jin, a sociology professor at Sogang University.
"It was her private decision, and we cannot quickly define what the reasons are,"
he said. "For a person like her who reached the acme of success, there would be a
sense of loneliness, nervousness, and other potential suicide risks. With no time
to reflect, we seem to be hurrying to point our fingers."