South Koreans tried and punished by online vigilantes

Iria · Aug 14, 2006, 09:06 PM

Source: IHT
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SEOUL - Kim Myong Jae's estranged girlfriend was found dead in her Seoul room on April 22 last year, six days after she killed herself with poison.

Two weeks later, Kim, a 30-year-old accountant, found that he had been transformed into the No. 1 hate figure for South Korea's Internet community, a victim of a growing problem in a country that boasts the world's highest rate of broadband use.

First, death threats and vicious text messages flooded his cellphone. Meanwhile, fast spreading through blogs and Web portals were rumors that Kim had jilted his girlfriend after forcing her to abort his baby, that he assaulted her and her mother, and that his abuse finally drove her to suicide.

"By the time I found out the source of this outrage, it was too late. My name, address, photographs, telephone numbers were all over the Internet," Kim said. "Tens of thousands of people were busy sharing my identity and discussing how to punish me. My name was the most-searched phrase at portals." News reports and portals confirmed that his name was at the top of such lists.

Aug 14, 2006, 09:06 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	South Koreans tried and punished by online vigilantes Source: IHT _________ SEOUL - Kim Myong Jae's estranged girlfriend was found dead in her Seoul room on April 22 last year, six days after she killed herself with poison. Two weeks later, Kim, a 30-year-old accountant, found that he had been transformed into the No. 1 hate figure for South Korea's Internet community, a victim of a growing problem in a country that boasts the world's highest rate of broadband use. First, death threats and vicious text messages flooded his cellphone. Meanwhile, fast spreading through blogs and Web portals were rumors that Kim had jilted his girlfriend after forcing her to abort his baby, that he assaulted her and her mother, and that his abuse finally drove her to suicide. "By the time I found out the source of this outrage, it was too late. My name, address, photographs, telephone numbers were all over the Internet," Kim said. "Tens of thousands of people were busy sharing my identity and discussing how to punish me. My name was the most-searched phrase at portals." News reports and portals confirmed that his name was at the top of such lists.