ID :
39946
Sat, 01/10/2009 - 20:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/39946
The shortlink copeid
Mystery cyber pundit's detention extended for further investigation
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court allowed prosecutors on Saturday to further detain an Internet pundit whose prophetic comments about the South Korean economy have won him a wave of supporters disenchanted with the government.
Prosecutors apprehended an unemployed 30-year-old man on Friday whom they believe
is the author of over 100 online posts critical of the government's handling of
the economy, widely known by his Internet alias, "Minerva." Park was arrested on
charges of spreading false rumors and later confessed authoring the posts.
"Given the gravity of the issue, there is a need for the detention as the suspect
has confessed (to the writings) and has influenced the foreign exchange market
and the country's ratings," the Seoul Central District Court said.
Investigators claimed that the blogger, identified by his surname, Park,
misguided the public late month with false claims that the government ordered
financial institutes and major corporations to stop buying dollars in order to
curb the local currency's fall against the greenback.
But Park's supporters say his arrest would be an infringement of the right to
freedom of speech, accusing the prosecution of attempting to crack down on
bloggers critical of the conservative government that came to power early last
year.
In a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Saturday, Park admitted to
being the online author but said he wrote to help those vulnerable to the
economic downswing.
"I had the untainted intention to help the powerless, but I'm sorry that it led
to confusion," he said. "I never meant to profit from these posts."
Park, who claimed to be an average old man as he used Internet portal Daum to
criticize the government in an often unpolished language, was even dubbed an
"economic czar online" by some media.
His followers say he predicted the fall of Lehman Brothers and the plunge of the
local currency against the U.S. dollar. Some of his comments even led the finance
minister to issue rebuttals.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
Prosecutors apprehended an unemployed 30-year-old man on Friday whom they believe
is the author of over 100 online posts critical of the government's handling of
the economy, widely known by his Internet alias, "Minerva." Park was arrested on
charges of spreading false rumors and later confessed authoring the posts.
"Given the gravity of the issue, there is a need for the detention as the suspect
has confessed (to the writings) and has influenced the foreign exchange market
and the country's ratings," the Seoul Central District Court said.
Investigators claimed that the blogger, identified by his surname, Park,
misguided the public late month with false claims that the government ordered
financial institutes and major corporations to stop buying dollars in order to
curb the local currency's fall against the greenback.
But Park's supporters say his arrest would be an infringement of the right to
freedom of speech, accusing the prosecution of attempting to crack down on
bloggers critical of the conservative government that came to power early last
year.
In a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Saturday, Park admitted to
being the online author but said he wrote to help those vulnerable to the
economic downswing.
"I had the untainted intention to help the powerless, but I'm sorry that it led
to confusion," he said. "I never meant to profit from these posts."
Park, who claimed to be an average old man as he used Internet portal Daum to
criticize the government in an often unpolished language, was even dubbed an
"economic czar online" by some media.
His followers say he predicted the fall of Lehman Brothers and the plunge of the
local currency against the U.S. dollar. Some of his comments even led the finance
minister to issue rebuttals.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
