[Editorial] Industry Responsibility in 'Online Addiction'

The Korean Venture Business Association has begun something called the "Venture W100 Billion Club" composed of 78 companies chosen for having earned more than W100 billion in sales. Once again you are surprised at the growth of venture companies, and the growth is not just on the outside. There is a lot more substance now, since some of them are producing operating profits well over W100 billion.

Two companies that earned W72 billion and W52.3 billion in operating profits happen to be in the game business and ranked in the top five, making you realize how online gaming is powering venture growth.

Our online game industry is as globally competitive as it gets, and the high-speed growth continues. The market has been worth more than W1 trillion since 2004, and the two-digit growth is expected to continue well into the future. There are problems lurking in the shadows, however, game addiction being a typical example. For game companies, the best product is a game that is addictive, that makes you never want to stop. The problem, however, is that game addiction can ruin your life. Among young people it has become so serious that our society needs to do something about the problem.

Naturally, you cannot lay all the blame on game producers, and there are other enterprises engaged in less-than-virtuous businesses. The reason one takes particular note of the problems with game addiction is that the main target of these games is young people who still do not have enough of an ability to discipline themselves.

You cannot blame companies for pursuing profit, but demanding they stand up to their social responsibilities is just as legitimate. It is time the industry displays some sophistication and actively does something about the problem. Of course another serious form of addiction can be found in wireless and non-wireless internet use, so providers also need to be responsible. If the industry joins with civic groups and engage in education and publicity and if the government implements measures such as a more detailed registration system, there will be a significant reduction in the ills from online addiction.

The Hankyoreh, 27 April 2006.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]