On-line communities, established by the common citizens of Korea, are threatened with being shut down, after being classified as ‘decadent sites’ according to the government’s new Internet Content Rating System (ICRS). The ICRS is the means for establishing governmental and capitalist control of the information society, to the detriment of human rights values which guarantee freedom of expression. The ICRS is no less than a ‘National Security Law’ for the information society! The state has always sought new ways to oppress the freedom, justice, and human rights of Korean people through controlling access to public media, and censorship.
We cannot help but resent the the present situation, in which a High School teacher’s work of art, displayed via the internet, is rated to be obscene. As long as the ICRS is used to equate the philosophy, and affliction of an artist – as expressed in his/her work – with lewdness, no true understanding of human rights, or democracy can exist in this country. Our struggle against the ICRS, is not merely aimed at abolishing one loathsome piece of government policy, but also to lay a stepping stone towards the foundation of an information society rooted in the values of: freedom of expression, human rights and democracy.
The first stepping stone, on the way to achieving this goal is demanding the abolishment of the ICRS – which is the equivalent of a ‘National Security Law’ for information society – and calling for the resignation of the Minister of Information and Communication, in acknowledgement of his responsibility for the implementation of this evil system. This struggle is an extension of the national struggle for human rights and democracy.
Therefore, I urge all civil society movements to join this struggle, and I also call for the Minister of Information and Communication to resign immediately, taking full responsibility for the evil implementation of the ICRS.
Nov. 27th, 2001
Lee Chang-soo
Chairperson
Solidarity For New Society
2001-11-26
