The KT reports that Korean Internet users are flocking to foreign websites to avoid Korea’s new online real-name verification requirements.
Users of Typepad know what this could lead to.
I Suppose It’s Only a Matter of Time Before the Foreign Sites Get Banned
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{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
You would figure these so called “tech-savvy” people would have been bypassing the sign up system for years…most are still baffled that you can register for stuff without a number.
#1 – my thoughts exactly. I’m surprised that all Koreans aren’t on proxy servers using US-based hangeul sites.
Yeah. The Korean government is going to ban YouTube, GMail, and Blogger, not to mention the thousands of other ‘foreign’ sites Koreans can use without a problem.
If you think that’s going to happen, I definitely want what you are smoking.
All this law is going to do is show Korean users that the world does not run on ActiveX, IE6, and pop ups. It’s also going to help users understand that having a shitty song start up when you access the page isn’t all that cool anymore.
Once again I’ll recommend that someone round here blog about the laws pertaining to blogging and forums in Korea.
If someone has already done this (Brian?) then apologies for missing it.
This should be interesting to watch, unless you’re willing to become utterly fascist what the Korean government is trying to do just isn’t possible since it’s so easy to just use a foreign site. The people who made the regulations must have known that, but it’s easy to do something that’s easy and looks good than something that works.
Korea, Foot-Shooting!
Seriously, if this isn’t overturned it will do nothing but hurt Korea-based sites.
About ten years ago they banned all Geocities sites because the Norks set up a propaganda site. As I remember that didn’t last very long.
I am very disappointed in the three big newspapers which related little to nothing about the media laws that are being promoted currently in Korea. The Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo, instead, go on a rant about Roh Moo-hyun taking money or about labor unions but not about the really current issues that will affect society. This is more misdirection and bias on their part than anything else.
I am also amazed that the current leadership here thinks that censorship is a solution, as well as their failure to understand that they can not prevail in an attempt to impose control over the newer forms of media. They will only enhance the notion that they are more like the repressive governments of the past and the people will find new outlets — thanks to the internet and the current Korean new media business models that rely heavily upon it.
The free flow of accurate and quality information can have a more productive impact upon a society than censorship and these efforts to will only help create the backdrop of yet another unpleasant surprise for the alleged “conservatives”, sooner or later.
A more thoughtful response to the problems that drove the mad cow demo is needed even though it may require time to accomplish such.
Interestingly, google.com currently outranks google.co.kr on Alexa’s website rankings for South Korea. They are 5th and 6th respectively.
http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/KR
To my surprise YouTube is 4th! That puts the article into a different light. It is one thing banning users from uploading to some obscure foreign website struggling to gain market share. It is something else entirely to do so to the 4th most popular website in the Nation. That actually would cause people to “flock” to foreign sites. I will admit that I was somewhat disappointed to see that 8tube (#35), redtube (#56) and youporn (#99) rank as far down as they do… Apparently reality is not as pessimistic as I am. But that does show that when it comes to porn too, Koreans are ignoring the Korean websites with KID age-verification and going for the free foreign variety. (that is unless there is some popular Korean porn site I’m not aware of on that list.)
At any rate I am glad to see that many in Korea at least realize how unenforceable such policies are proving it. I hope the government will realize this.
On the other hand, in the likely event that Korea ever does enforce its laws by blocking some of these foreign websites, I predict they will only do so in the same half-hearted “check-the-block so as to convince the bureaucrats/conservatives who don’t know any better that you are doing something” manner in which they go after prostitution every year. And considering that, I have so far correctly predicted, LMB’s election, Obama’s nomination, subsequent election, rejection of the current FTA, the latest North Korea rocket launch as being an attempt to launch a rocket and the ranking of the latest WBC, you can take my predictions to the bank and cash them. Boo-fucking-yah.
Until recently I could, from my HK abode, book a plane ticket online on KAL’s Korean website, without having to register for an account (aka ‘guest purchase’). Not anymore… I tried also on Asiana, same thing. Booh.
Censorship and the the great firewall work in China, but won’t work in Korea because Koreans are not defensive of their government like the Chinese. I was bemused by English-speaking Chinese netizens who would cut and paste from or link to sites unavailable in China, like the BBC, and then justify Chinese web censorship by arguing that smart guys like themselves could handle forbidden content.
Back in 2004 they cut off access to quite a few sites. Some Korean guy was beheaded in Iraq and
they didn’t want that video getting shown back home.
I was using Typepad then and I couldn’t get there to update or read my site – until I (very easily) installed a proxy server on my browser.
His beheading video was cool.
I didn’t think it was all that cool. Did you see him begging for his life?
Maybe Jessica Kim was right about ESL teacher all along…
It is not often that I am nauseated at the careless comments I read here at the Hole, but the two careless comments above are really beyond my comprehension.
I would like to remind any of you who may have been misled by the above that the young Korean man who was horrifically beheaded on video by Muslim extremists in June 2004, Mr. Kim Sun-il, was in fact a fine Christian missionary who did not beg for his life but gave it completely while on a mission of love and mercy to help the Iraqi people. He was not only selfless, but exceedingly brave. Those of you who carelessly joke about his murder and distort his testimony are definitely NOT cool.
Let me tell you something: a lot of Korean netizens thought it was “cool” when videos of Americans being beheaded were online and available. It wasn’t until it happened to a Korean that you suddenly saw it wasn’t cool and started trying to ban all sorts of websites.
So quit flapping your lips about Jessica Kim and English teachers and reflect on your own self.
Just tried that to comment on youtube. Worked like a charm!
It wasn’t until it happened to a Korean that you suddenly saw it wasn’t cool and started trying to ban all sorts of websites.
True dat. I remember.
“Mr. Kim Sun-il, was in fact a fine Christian missionary who did not beg for his life but gave it completely while on a mission of love and mercy to help the Iraqi people. He was not only selfless, but exceedingly brave.”
He was also working for a subcontractor for the DOD, driving a supply truck for the mess halls on US military bases. He “Converted” a good Muslim girl and had plans to marry her. All of these things are absolute NO-NO’s in a Muslim country that is at war with the evil Christians.
That kid was not some holy-than-thou selfless, exceedingly brave person. He was an idiot. Who in their right mind would Bible-thump in a Muslim country that was at war? Give me a break.
Uri Onara,
IIRC, he did beg for his life in that video. It was pretty horrible. I think he was drugged too.
Well this is all very charming.
Thanks, Martypants, for bringing us to a new low.
Dogbert, did kimchi2000 make derogatory and mocking comments about Americans and other non-Koreans being beheaded in Iraq/Afghanistan? If not, then in attempting to make him culpable for the acts of other Koreans you have made yourself appear as foolish as you think he is.
Let’s all calm down. Beheading videos are not good entertainment, and anyone who laughs at any of them should seek counselling.
Don’t be schoolmarmish.
I was simply pointing out his hypocrisy.
Dogbertt: I note your cross-thread quote. Bit desperate, but I’ll pay it.
It’s only hypocrisy if the person you are taking to task did the thing that he himself is complaining about.
If you are trying to make the argument that “a Korean complaining about reactions to a video of a Korean getting killed, when other Koreans reacted the same way to videos of Americans getting killed is a hypocrite” then that’s laughably racially essentialist.
To be fair, that is his MO.
They were absolutely horrible events, but I think the clips should be publicly available with some reasonable restrictions (like 18+ limit or something). When I took that poli sci course called Counterterrorism and Intelligence, we had to watch several of them to learn about the terrorists’ MO and patterns.
And I can’t blame martypants exclusively for thinking that the beheading clips were “cool”, considering all those “Saw” movies and anything involving Eli Roth and Rob Zombie having a huge following in the US and worldwide. Fascination of the abomination?
It might be appropriate for Robert to delete some of these postings which detract from the original intent of the thread since they are off-topic trolling.
Much of the aforementioned has nothing to do with this current administrations’ ham-fisted attempt to use censorship in a manner that will only hurt their legitimacy as a democratic government of the people.
LOL, yes, Elgin, we know that you think that deleting posts is the right thing to do.
That’s a good one, Elgin:
“If you don’t stick to talking about censorship, you should be censored!”
LOL
That does sound amusing, when you put it that way “db” but I suspect you know what I meant.
Another techie story, and still no info on whether I can get a smart phone yet on my LG monthly plan…
Robert, might I suggest that the last sentence of comment #12, a new low indeed, warrants the deletion of that comment? There is precedent for your timely intervention of this nature, on occasion, here at the Marmot’s Hole.
“Fascination of the abomination?”
Its really not that long ago that hangings and the like were public entertainment. Seems it’ll be while yet before we evolve past this….
What the best route to going proxy. I’m don’t know enough about it and I’m worried about inadvertently downloading some malware or spyware.
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