Korea Leading the World Internet Obsession Treatments

The New York Times reported on November 10 that Korea, the world’s most wired nation, leads the world in treating internet addiction.

In an article on the Internet Rescue camp built in the city of Cheonan located in South Chungcheong province, the paper said, “Korea has a boot camp, identical to a hospital for alcoholics, to cure the overuse of the Internet or computers in general.” The newspaper added, “Korea is probably the first nation to operate a boot camp for obsessive computer use.”

Korea is on the leading edge with a 90 percent high-speed broadband penetration rate, and online gaming has a popularity outstripping professional sports, and PC cafes that have spread to every corner in the nation.

This internet-intensive environment has created side effects like internet obsession. Accordingly, about 100 hospitals in Korea are operating treatment programs for obsessive internet use. The Korean government is also running about 140 separate internet overuse consulting centers.

The Internet Rescue Camp, run by the government, prohibits adolescents from using the internet during the treatment period. The camp also regulates their cell phone use. The children may use their mobile phones only an hour per day. Like a boot camp for new recruits, the rescue camp has stringent regulations.

An international symposium regarding web obsession was held in Korea this September. In the symposium, researchers from China and Taiwan provided presentations on their nations’ internet compulsion disorders and their symptoms.

Dr. Jerald J. Block, a psychiatrist at Oregon’s Health and Sciences University, said in an interview with this paper, “In the United States, around nine million Americans are at risk for internet obsession disorder, but there are very few treatment centers in the nation.” He added, “Korea recognizes internet obsession as a significant issue. Korea is the No. 1 country in terms of internet use, and is also leading the world in internet overuse treatments.

kong@donga.com