Three Internet Portals Indicted for Circulating Pornography

The prosecutor’s office is stepping up to regulate pornographic material that is being circulated widely on the Internet.

The Seventh Criminal Affairs Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office (chief prosecutor: Han Myung-gwan) announced on March 27 that three managers of adult section of three major Korean Internet portal sites and 23 owners of adult sites and sex product shopping malls have been indicted on charges of posting graphic sex scenes on the Internet (in violation of the circulation of pornography ordinance included in the Promotion of Internet Use and Protection of Information Law).

The prosecutor’s office also fined the three corporations of these portal sites and 12 adult site managers who were accused of relatively light charges seven to fifteen million won.

A total of 50 regionally run adult sites are to be passed on to regional district prosecutor’s offices for investigation.

Assuming such pornography is spreading through mobile phones as well, the prosecutor’s office is also widening the scope of its investigation to mobile communication companies as well.

By the middle of next month, these mobile communication companies, and also portal site officials and criminals who have been charged with spreading pornography, are to be the targets of an additional investigation, and all those under suspicion whose activities are confirmed will be prosecuted. More than 100 suspects are currently on the investigation list.

The prosecutor’s office will suggest a comprehensive improvement scheme to related authorities, along with the announcement of the investigation results.

On official at the prosecutor’s office said, “Addiction to pornography will cause not only teenagers but also adults to confuse imagination and reality, leading to maladjustment to society and provocative sex crimes.”

woogija@donga.com