South Korea monitoring 76 pro-North websites

According to the Choson Ilbo, the South Korean government is monitoring 76 pro-DPRK websites:

The National Police Agency is monitoring a total of 76 pro-North Korea websites overseas. According to data on the NPA submitted to Grand National Party lawmaker Lee Bum-rae of the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, of the websites with servers abroad, 31 in the U.S., 19 in Japan, 13 in China, 4 in Germany, and 9 in other countries. 

The NPA said it has also asked or advised web portals to delete a total of 6,377 pro-Pyongyang postings since the inauguration of the Roh Moo-hyun administration in February 2003. The number has been on the increase from 1,010 in 2004 to 1,434 in 2007. Until August this year, the NPA already asked web portals to delete a total of 1,035 such postings.

I find this personally disturbing for a couple of reasons—the first being that the South Korean government asking content to be removed from the Internet sounds more like a North Korean policy than that of a democratic government in one of Asia’s wealthiest nations.  The second bit of news that disturbs me is that I cannot come up with more than 10 pro-DPRK web sites.  Where are these people hiding?     

Read the full article here.

UPDATE: South Korea raids the offices of a pro-North group:

A group of agents from the National Intelligence Service, the police, and the Prosecutor’s Office Saturday stormed the headquarters of the All-Korean Committee for Implementation of June 15 Joint Declaration in Seoul and its 5 regional offices as well as the houses of the organization’s five officials simultaneously, Yonhap News reported.

The authorities also arrested seven officials of the organization, including its leader, whose last name is Choi, for violation of the National Security Law.

The authorities reportedly launched the massive investigation of the group when it was airing the media contents from North Korea through its Internet-based “6.15TV” that allegedly violated the 7th clause of the law that prohibits the praise for and encouragement on North Korea.
The group was established in October 2000 to commemorate the June 15 Joint Declaration and promote the unification movement on a civilian level. It has been engaged in civilian exchanges between the two Koreas, demanded the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea as well as a movement to understand North Korea better.

The group’s Web site (www.615.or.kr) was inaccessible Saturday afternoon due to heavy traffic volume.

Read the full story in the Korea Times.

UPDATE 2: 4 South Korean arrested for “praising north”

Four progressive civic group members were arrested Tuesday for allegedly praising North Korea, leading the Solidarity for Practice of the South-North Joint Declaration (SPSNJD) to criticize the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the prosecution for abusing what they call the outdated National Security Law.

They were charged with opening an exclusive pro-North chat room on the group’s Web site ― restricted to certified members ― and releasing North Korean press material to praise the Stalinist country at the expense of the South. (Korea Times)

Really? A chat room with 4 nobodys?  It would be different if they had guns and plans, but reading silly North Korean press releases can’t seriously be considered subversive activity can it?

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5 Responses to “South Korea monitoring 76 pro-North websites”

  1. Gag Halfrunt says:

    I suspect that South Korean intelligence might have a fairly loose interpretation of what constitutes ‘pro-North Korea’ sentiment. I remember reading on NKZone about a certain website that was blocked in South Korea because it reprinted, among other things, KCNA reports.

  2. NKeconWatch says:

    Very interesting. Thanks for the update.

  3. Andrew says:

    I agree. South Korea should not be removing content from these sites, unless there are serious and credible evidence that may threat S.Korea’s national security.

  4. ddaengjoong says:

    I have this list of 32 sites run by or affiliated with NK in my notes dated 2005 in case its of use – I didn’t list a source in the notes for some stupid reason, apologies. Name, URL, host country. Some of them are pretty obscure.

    Kyo’re Sarangt’o’ [Arena of Loving Compatriots]
    Krsrt.com
    Japan
    Kuguk Cho’nso’n
    Ndfsk.dyndns.org
    Ndfsk-dyndns.org
    Aindf.dyndns.org
    Japan
    Kim Il-so’ng   Open University
    Ournation-scool.com
    China
    Naenara [My Country]
    Kcckp.net
    Germany
    Moaksan
    Moaksan.net
    Japan
    Minjok Sibo
    Korea-htr.com
    Japan
    Minjok Chaju University
    Minjog.com
    Japan
    Minjok T’ongsin
    Minjok.com
    US
    Paektunet
    Baekdoonet.has.it
    Japan
    Silli Bank
    Sillibank.com.sillibank/korea
    China
    Uriminjokkkiri
    Uriminzokkiri.com
    China
    Grand National Unity for Independence and Peace
    Members.fortunecity.com/ym2
    US
    Korean American National Coordinating Council
    Kancc.org
    US
    Korean Japanese National Alliance for Democratic Reunification of Korea (hant’ongnyo’n)
    Korea-htr.com/chuo
    Japan
    Fatherland’s Reunification 21
    Tongil21.com
    US
    National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification
    Bommin.net
    Denmark
    Choso’n University
    Korea-u.ac.jp
    Japan
    Choso’n Sibo
    Korea-np.co.jp
    Japan
    Choso’n Stamps
    Dprk-stamp.com
    China
    Choso’n Music
    Big.or.jp/~jrldr/index.html
    Japan
    DPRK Music
    Dprkoreanmusic.com
    US
    Koreans’ Photo Bank
    Dprkoea.com
    China
    Cooperation Society of Fellow Koreans in Germany
    Corea-news.com
    Germany
    DPRK Printed Matters
    Dprk-book.com
    China
    Korean Central News Agency
    Kcna.co.jp
    Japan
    General Association of Korean Residents in Japan
    Chongryon.com
    Japan
    Korea Network
    Worldcorea.net
    Japan
    Korea Book Center
    Krbook.net/index-k.htm
    Japan
    Reunification Research Center
    Onekorea.org
    US
    T’ongil Hanmau’m [One Heart for Reunification]
    Jpth.net
    Japan
    Korean Compatriots’ National Council of Australia
    Kca.net.au
    Australia
    Huail Bank
    Hualibank.com
    China