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?
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.
Very interesting. Thanks for the update.
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.
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