Google has had a miniscule presence in South Korea since the domestic Web sites such as www.naver.com , www.daum.net and www.nate.com have been key players among Korean Web users.
However, due to the increased internet censorship and surveillance in recent years, many internet users are contemplating “cyber exiles” to foreign Websites.
There are probably not yet a significant number of bloggers and other activate web users moving to foreign websites to threaten the dominance of those key players. However, it is important phenomenon that web activities are suppressed more and more and an increasing number of users is turning their eyes on the web services that allow their speech freedom.
Google prohibit South Korean users to upload some resources and comments on their website and YouTube requires real name registration of users who want to upload videos. But it only affects on the Korean version of their websites and services, so domestic users still upload videos and post comments on the YouTube other countries-based.
The bloggers and other active web users who are willing to venture out of their habits are mostly active web users, educated and have much of knowledge on the internet and digital technologies.
In addition, the users who move in to foreign websites are people who actively involve the social issues and are able to express and judge the government rationally based on their experience and education.
Some bloggers establish their own sites based on a foreign server; for example, the famous Korean blogger “Chi yong Ahn” established his blog “SECRET OF KOREA” based on the U.S server. His blog is a Korean version of http://wikileaks.org/ dealing with senstive issues around Korean society.
He mainly posts about anti-government criticism or very rare information about Korean government or Korean giant companies such as Samsung or LG. It has hugely influenced on Korean bloggers and his articles are often mentioned in political discussions.
As an increasing number of bloggers are arrested of anti-government, bloggers , who do not agree with the internet regulation, seek online asylum and move to foreign sites.
After Google decided to bypass local censorship laws in 2009, we have witnessed its following issues between Google and China which ultimately resulted in Chinese government’s prohibition of access Google in China.
However, in Korea, technologically savvy web users and enthusiastic bloggers are being pushed to Google or other foreign websites. Korean government are losing tech-savvy Internet users who are also the most enthusiastic about the issues of their country.
References
Digital Nation Team (2009) “Free Speech in South Korea — is the Internet a poison or cure?” available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/blog/2009/04/free-speech-in-south-korea—-is-the-internet-a-poison-or-cure.html [accessed on 30 April 2010]
S’outh Korean ‘Netizens’ take to the streets’ avalable at http://www.france24.com/en/20080618-south-korea-internet-netizen-demonstration-democracy-broadcasting [accessed on 30 April 2010]
Jennie's Blog 
Leave a comment