FC: Korea restricts online protests, blacklists 119,000+ sites

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Some additional background:
http://www.gilc.org/alert/alert49.html
http://www.gilc.org/alert/alert53.html
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_tech/200105/t2001050217201245110.htm

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Subject: [asia-ict-monitor 87] Please, Show International solidarity with
Korean activists fighting online censorship.
From: "PatchA" <patcha () patcha jinbo net>
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 15:19:28 +0900

Dear friends,

My name is PatchA. I'm a member of Korean Progressive Network
(Jinbonet). The Korean situation of Online Censorship becomes
more dangerours. The government will announce the enforcement
ordinance related to Internet content rating system and prohibition
of online demonstration. So we are now gathering and organizing
international solidarity. Please Join our struggle. Below is detail
struggle contents. And you can see more information about our
struggle on the Free online website
http://www.freeonline.or.kr/english

Thank you.

In solidarity PatchA

Show International solidarity with Korean activists fighting online
censorship.

Last year, the Korean Ministry of Information & Communication
(MIC) of the Kim Dae-jung government tried to pass the Korean
Communication Decency Act. The Act included a very dangerous
Internet Content Rating System provision. So, many Korean
progressive groups fought against the legislation and finally, before
being passed, the clauses related to the Content Rating System
were deleted from the Act.

But, this year, the MIC snuck new provisions relating to a Content
Rating System into the enforcement ordinance of the Act and
announced that it would be carried out from July 1st. In addition to
a content rating system provision, this enforcement ordinance also
has very strict clause making online demonstrations illegal. For
example, writing protest messages on internet bulletin boards,
sending many protest messages to one server (like the MIC
server), and Virtual sit-ins (known as, "DOS" - Denial of Service)
etc. So, after July 1st, most online demonstrations will be illegal.

Korean Progressive groups, including the "Collaboration Action
Group Against Information and Communication Censorship" (CAG)
have organized events against the Act over the last two months,
such as protest performances, one person demonstrations in front
of the MIC, Press Conferences, and on/off-line debating
conferences etc. However, the government has ignored these
people's voices.

We strongly encourage international progressive groups, including
NGOs (Non-government Organizations), CSGs (Civil Society
Groups) etc. to join our international solidarity struggle. And Please
send solidarity messages to us (della () www jinbo net,
patcha () patcha jinbo net).

Before July 1st, hundreds of Korean progressive groups are
preparing actions, such as the following:


1. Online Website Strike

When : From June 29 to July 1, for about 72 hours What : Site
Strike will be on a lot of web sites How : GAG will provide a
common protesting web page. All participating groups will make a
common web page and place it so it appears when people first
enter the site. This common web page will contain protest
messages against this policy and include links to bulletin boards
where people can discuss it.

2. Send online Protest Messages to Cheong Wa Dae (Korean
Government), the MIC, and Korean Information Communication
Ethics Committee by E-mail

* Cheong Wa Dae

No Bulletin Board System Email : webmaster () cwd go kr

* Korean Ministry of Information & Communication

Bulletin Board System:
http://www.mic.go.kr/jsp/mic_z/mail_10_1.jsp?menu_code=m101_0
001_1 Email : webmaster () mic go kr

* The Information and Communication Ethics Committee

No Bulletin Board E-mail : webmaster () icec or kr

3. Send off-line Protest Messages by telephone or Fax.

* Cheong Wa Dae

- Tel : +82-730-5800

* Korean Ministry of Information & Communication

- General inquiries : +82 2 750 2000 - Help desk : +82 2 750 2114

* The Information and Communication Ethics Committee

- Tel : +82-2-3415-0154 - Fax : +82-2-3415-0199




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