Updated Sep.24,2002 20:02 KST


Cyber-squatting Outlawed
(Woo Byung-hyun, penman@chosun.com )

In the future, disturbing the Internet business of a specific company or prior occupation of Internet domains for the purpose of money will be prohibited.

In order to block the various disputes such as domain ownership disputes, following the sudden rise in Internet users, the Ministry of Information and Communication announced that they will formulate an "Internet Domain Resources Management Bill" and legislate it.

According to the preliminary bill, one cannot register an Internet domain that is similar to that of registered trademarks or firm names. Domain registration for trademark, company name, titles, and names are also prohibited. If someone habitually offends this, a maximum fine of W10 million will be imposed.

Also, if one does not actually use a domain for more than 18 months after registration, someone in the interests of that domain may request registration effacement. Also, the preliminary bill states that an organization named "Internet Domain Dispute Settlement Committee" that will assume full charge of dispute mediation will be newly formed.

The preliminary bill was created to prevent cyber-squatting, a term for acquiring Internet domains of famous trademarks and company names in advance to demand money from a certain company or to disturb business.