On the Internet homepages of Cheong Wa Dae, each political party, civil groups, the Constitutional Court and other institutions, a massive battle of vituperation is raging between pro-impeachment and anti-impeachment Internet users. Quite different from the peaceful, non-violent demonstrations that have been taking place in real life, pro-Roh and anti-Roh camps are letting fly with torrents of irrational abuse in cyberspace.
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¡°Nosamo¡± members opposing President Roh Moo-hyun¡¯s impeachment demonstrate in front of the National Assembly holding signs saying ¡°Offer Sympathy for Korean Politics,¡± directly after the impeachment bill was passed on Friday morning./Yonhap
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Of the countless posts found on the Internet bulletin boards of the Grand National Party, Millennium Democratic Party, Uri Party and Cheong Wa Dae, there are some written by people using their real names that offer healthy criticism and try to engage in rational debate. They are buried, however, under the tons of anonymous posts that offer nothing but flaming abuse and extreme condemnation. What we are seeing is "bad money driving out the good," or in this case, "the bad posts driving out the good." Particular individuals are being called "weirdos," "lunatics" and "human scum" -- and that's in the polite posts. There are more than a few posts that are nothing but endless streams of obscenity.
Abuse directed at female politicians like tentative GNP spokeswoman Jun Yeo-ok, MDP standing committee member Chu Mi-ae, and Uri Party lawmaker Kim Hee-seon has flowed like water.
There are concerns that this phenomenon may lead to national opinion becoming sharply divided as we approach the general election. Moreover, some are saying it is impossible to rule out the possibility that once the Constitutional Court decides, those that oppose its decision -- whatever it may be -- will not submit to the ruling, and confrontation between the two camps will become aggravated.
In this confrontation, many are criticizing electronic bulletin board operators for making the situation worse by allowing posters to "flame" anonymously. When one clicks on to the Uri Party homepage via Yahoo, you are automatically taken to a temporary bulletin board with the title, "Help us, citizens. Protect Korean democracy." There's even a black funeral "condolence" banner attacked to the upper left. On the GNP homepage, there is a big banner on its main page reading, "We couldn't help but to worry about the next four years."
Sungkyunkwan University professor Kwon Sang-hee said, "Cyberspace can never be 'public,' so it has somewhat of a destructive character, but the current situation in too much... Government, civic groups and the academic world must come forth and establish a strict order curbing such irrational posting."
(Lee Ha-weon, may2@chosun.com )
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