A number of people in middle age were accused of contempt by posting
malicious comments on the Internet last month. Prosecutors decided to fine 14
of them 1 million won.
According to prosecutors, those netizens left abusive replies to an Internet
news article about the death of a child of Lim Soo-kyung, 38, who illegally
visited North Korea as a student activist in 1989. Her nine-year-old son
drowned last July at a resort park in the Philippines.
In response to the news article, a large number of netizens posted their own
comments. Some of them were positive, expressing deep condolences and
cheering up the mother who lost her precious child.
However, some were very abusive, calling Lim a communist and making a fool of
the mother and the child in their remarks on the Internet. Eventually, she
filed a complaint against 25 malicious netizens on charges of contempt and
defamation.
By tracing those netizens' IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, prosecutors
successfully tracked down and identified 25 people. Most people including
prosecutors thought those malicious netizens would be young students who
enjoy cursing and swearing in front of a computer monitor.
Surprisingly, the accused were mostly in their 40's and 50's. In addition,
they were college graduates with good jobs such as college professors,
managers of financial institutions, and government employees. Even educated
people become brainless fools when they sit in front of a computer and write
comments on the Internet.
Those fined regretted having done such a foolish thing after they were
accused. "I didn't have a special reason for hating Lim. I just didn't like
the progressive gain more power during Roh administration," said an accused
netizen.
Some people, however, opposed legal punishment, claiming people have a
constitutional right of freedom of expression and legal punishment runs
counter to the Constitution.
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