Published : Sept. 25, 2014 - 18:54
최근 검찰이 점차 증대하는 사이버 명예훼손에 대한 강경 대책의 일환으로포탈사이트를 포함한 메신저 등에 대한 실시간 모니터링 방침을 밝히면서, 이에 국내 네티즌들이 정부가 모니터링 할 수 없는 외국 메신저를 사용하기 위해 ‘사이버 망명’을 떠나고 있다.
한국 네티즌들이 정부의 감시망을 벗어나기 위해 선택한 러시아의 모바일 메신저 ‘텔레그램 (Telegram)’은 엄격한 암호화와 보안성을 최우선으로 하여 개발된 앱으로, 현재 모바일 앱스토어에서 다운로드 순위 1위를 기록할 정도로 인기를 끌고있다.
이는 지난 16일 박근혜 대통령이 “대통령 모독 발언이 도를 넘었다”며 “아니면 말고 식의 폭로성 발언이 사회의 분열을 가져온다”고 언급하자 검찰이 ‘사이버 명예훼손 전담 수사팀’을 설치한 것에 대한 일종의 국민들의 자구책으로 보인다.
전례없는 박근혜 정부의 ‘상시 모니터링’ 방안에 논란이 일자 검찰은 나중에 이는 개인 메신저가 아닌 포털 사이트를 대상으로 한 것이라고 밝혔으나, 국민들은 여전히 회의적인 반응을 보였다.
한 네티즌은 “대한민국이 민주주의 국가가 맞냐?”며 불만을 토로했고, 다른 네티즌은 “언론의 표현과 자유가 있는 텔레그램으로 갈아타자”고 말했다.
(코리아헤럴드/송상호 기자)
Korean users go into cyberexile for freedom of expression
Prosecution’s move to monitor portals, social media hitting local providers hard, benefiting foreign apps
A growing number of Korean users are migrating to foreign mobile messenger services in what is seen as “cyberexile” after the country’s prosecution threatened to step up real-time monitoring of social media in the name of cracking down on libelous rumors.
The prosecution’s much-disputed clampdown on online rumors and mobile messages came last week shortly after President Park Geun-hye blasted groundless online accusations, arguing that those malicious postings would divide the public and damage social cohesion.
Park’s criticism is linked to the prosecution’s unprecedented move to investigate a Japanese journalist for allegedly writing libelous reports on the South Korean president’s whereabouts on the day the Sewol ferry sank in April.
As public outcry rose against the prosecution’s move, the prosecution claimed its monitoring would be limited to malicious commentators on major portals, not messenger services.
But Korean users remain skeptical about its official stance and expressed fear their private messages on mobile apps such as Kakao Talk would be closely monitored by authorities.
The prosecution plans to investigate and, if necessary, indict those who write malicious comments online, even though the parties involved do not file for libel suits.
The greatest beneficiary of the sweeping online monitoring and potential criminal investigations by authorities is none other than a Russian-made messaging app named Telegram.
In the past week, the app has gained rapid popularity among Korean smartphone users who believe such foreign apps are relatively safe from the government’s prying eyes.
Telegram was chiefly designed to avoid the tight monitoring of Russian security authorities. Whatever is talked about on it is not stored in the company’s main servers and is strictly encrypted, which makes it difficult for outsiders to covertly monitor the content of messages.
This week, the app rose rapidly on the popularity lists of local smartphone app markets, underscoring growing public fears about state interference in cyberspace. To allow Koreans to use Telegram more conveniently, the app is preparing to offer Korean language services in the near future.
Due to the sense of security Telegram offers, many people in the Korean stock market have already begun using it, multiple sources said. Financial industry workers have apparently shunned Korean messenger programs as any suspicious trading through local messengers is subject to state censorship.
The bulletin boards for Telegram users have been filled with frustration and anger with some calling the Seoul government “Big Brother.” In particular, they claimed that with the crackdown on online libel, they felt like they were in North Korea.
“(We are) not in North Korea. Is South Korea a democratic state?” said a netizen on the Telegram online review board.
Another netizen said, “Let’s go to Telegram where the values of human rights and freedom are secured. Another pointed out, “Korean society is moving forward while Korean politics appear to be retrogressing.”
The so-called cyberexile has triggered concerns among local mobile messenger providers including KaKao Talk and Naver’s Line, as they might be the victims of the government’s move to clean up malicious comments online and mobile platforms -- a Herculean task given the fragmented nature of the Internet and the massive volume of messages churned out on various channels.
Kakao Talk officials argued that given some 6 billion messages a day are exchanged through its messenger program, it is impossible for the state to keep track of all the messages. They also stressed that without any due legal procedures including securing a search warrant, the prosecution would not be able to monitor private messages online.
By Song Sang-ho
(
sshluck@heraldcorp.com)