[Column] Shutdown Policy, Let There Be No Second Mistake

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] No matter how well-intentioned a policy may be, it can sometimes produce unintended side effects. The game shutdown system was such a case.

The shutdown system is a measure that blocks online game access for youths under the age of 16 from midnight to 6 a.m. It has been in effect for 10 years since 2011, based on the logic of protecting youths' right to sleep and preventing online game addiction.

Negative cases of the shutdown system became known less than a year after its implementation. In 2012, a 16-year-old Korean professional gamer participating in a StarCraft 2 tournament held in France was forced to leave the match at 11:58 p.m. due to the shutdown system, causing international embarrassment.

The logic was also weak. Regarding "prevention of game addiction," it was continuously pointed out that youths could easily bypass the system by using their parents' IDs or overseas accounts to download content, and that uniform access blocking could not prevent game addiction. A study by the Korea Creative Content Agency also reported no significant correlation between gamers' sleep time and game usage time.

The backlash extended to the representative "elementary school game," Minecraft. Criticism grew when Microsoft’s Minecraft was classified as "adult-only" in Korea due to the shutdown system.

Thus, the shutdown system, once regarded as a "Galapagos regulation" (a regulation out of step with global trends), has reached a crossroads for abolition after 10 years. On the 25th, the government announced the "Plan to Abolish the Shutdown System and Create a Healthy Gaming Environment for Youth." The plan includes abolishing the shutdown system, unifying youth game time restrictions into a voluntary "game time selection system," and strengthening game literacy education for youths, guardians, and teachers.

The aim is to respect youths' right to self-determination and the right to education within families, supporting the establishment of a healthy gaming leisure culture for youths through voluntary means.

Though late, this is a welcome development. Youth protection policies must be effectively operated in response to changes in media usage environments. Authorities must not forget that no matter how well-intentioned a system is, once it takes the form of regulation, it can act as an obstacle to industry development and growth.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.