In the face of 2007 presidential election, all the sites of internet press will be forced to implement real name registration system on November 27, the day presidential campaign officially starts. This measure, which is based on Public Official Election Act article 82, forces all the internet press to be equipped with technical measures that requires real name authentication. Any internet press without real name identification process can be fined up to 10 million won.

This measure, we think, however, is apparently censorship which basically regards the public as charlatans or slanderers and undermines basic rights of freedom of speech, which in part comes from anonymity, and political rights. Jinbo Network has been protested against the law since it was first introduced and 참세상(?) once rejected the measure in 2006, when it was imposed along with the local election.

The specter of real name registration system has returned. To deal with it Jinbo Network and People’s Media Chamsaesang will go together. All the opinion boards related to articles of People’s Media Chamsaesang are operated by Jinbo Network during the election terms. As a advocate for human rights on information, Jinbo Network strongly believe that netizen should not be curbed and be guaranteed lively discussions.

Nowadays grim is the political situation. In the face of presidential election, we are forced to be silent on the net. Critical ‘replies’, ‘parody’, and ‘UCC’ against candidates and parties have largely been shrunk since the authorities imposed the measure.

Almost all of internet sites including giant portal sites take the real name system as a matter of course. It is significantly infringing human rights, however, because it is based on the assumption that all the people are potential distributor of wicked messages and false information.

Democracy of the society will get under way of crisis as well as the rights of participating politics as electorate. We are definitely opposed to the political trickery, which is no more than a makeshift and will stifle opinions of criticism.

We will fight until the measure is nullified with concerted efforts of the netizen, internet presses, and human rights organization.

- Stop the execution of real name system that encroaches on freedom of speech!
- Revise the Public Official Election Act and nullify the real name system!

November 23th, 2007

People’s Media Chamsaesang
Jinbo Network