KCSC Requests Strengthened Self-Regulation Instead of Blocking 'Uuljeung Gallery'

The Korea Communications Standards Commission recently urged the online community DC Inside's 'Depression Gallery' board, which was identified as the background of a live-streamed suicide incident, to strengthen self-regulation instead of imposing a block.

On the 22nd, the Communications Review Subcommittee of the Commission held a meeting and announced that it resolved to urge the operator to take active measures by strengthening self-regulation regarding the 'Depression Gallery' board.

Since the youth suicide incident in Gangnam last month, approximately 117 pieces of suicide-inducing information have been deleted or access-blocked over about a month until this day. The Commission is conducting focused monitoring on major communities regarding suicide-inducing information, including the incident video, immediately after the event.

Based on consultations with the Communications Advisory Special Committee and the Legal Team, and through final discussions at the Communications Subcommittee, the Commission stated that it is difficult to view the board as established or operated for the purpose of crimes such as suicide-inducing information. Most posts are mixed with simple expressions of depression and content offering help (such as methods to overcome depression, guidance for hopeful phone lines, etc.), and since deletion of individual illegal information is possible, requesting corrective action for the entire board raises concerns of excessive regulation.

The Commission said, “Going forward, we will promptly review suicide-inducing information such as recruiting suicide companions or actively encouraging suicide, and plan to provide related information to the National Police Agency as investigation reference materials,” urging active self-purification efforts from operators and users.

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