[Tdinoz]

Source http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001028,00.html

SOUTH Korean police plan a crackdown on people who spread malicious rumours on the internet, a practice they blame for last week's suicide of a local actress.

The National Police Agency said it would have 900 officers investigating online as part of a month-long operation beginning tomorrow to hunt, arrest and punish those who spread false and vicious rumours on the internet.

The agency said in a statement "the spread of malicious and groundless messages on the internet recently led to their victim's suicide'', referring to the death of Choi Jin-sil on Thursday.

Choi, 40, a mother of two, committed suicide and was found hanging from a length of elastic at her Seoul home.

Police investigators, citing her relatives and friends, said Choi had been upset by internet rumours that she had lent a huge sum of money to a local actor who killed himself in early September under heavy debts.

Police found no monetary links between Choi and the actor. A security worker was arrested for spreading false rumours about her online.

Investigators said the case had worsened Choi's depression.

Choi had been on medication for depression since her marriage to a pro baseball player ended in an ugly divorce in 2004, according to police.

South Korea, one of the world's most technologically advanced societies, has required web portals to screen out malicious rumours online on complaints, but many victims have said action came too late to protect their reputations.

More than 70 per cent of Korean households have access to a high-speed internet service and people enjoy freely interacting with each other online by posting unlimited and anonymous comments on websites or blogs.

Last year's suicide of local pop singer Yoo Na was attributed to cyber-bullying over her plastic surgery.

The ruling party is pushing for legislation against online libel but the main opposition party opposes it for fear of undermining freedom of speech.

[geoff01]

This is going to be a tough one to police I would have thought. But I suppose it would be nice if people were held more accountable for their online activities, particularly where someone gets hurt.

[igorkr]

I think libel should be punished