Internet news portals to be treated as conventional media in disputes

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- News portal operators and Internet news channels will
be classified as media outlets, subjecting them to decisions by an arbitration
panel in defamation disputes, the culture ministry said Thursday.

Under a revised law that goes into effect Friday, the Press Arbitration
Commission (PAS) will treat newly-emerged media such as Internet portals and Web
channels as conventional news outlets, the ministry said in a press release.
The commission, which mediates conflicts between news outlets and individuals who
file defamation suits for damages stemming from press reports, has so far dealt
only with newspapers, television networks and other established media companies.
The PAS seeks to negotiate a quick settlement between involved parties without
having to go to court, with the arbitration process taking around two weeks on
average.
"Given the speed of circulation and the influence of news articles posted on
major portals, the new law focuses on the responsibility on portals and a prompt
resolution of disputes," the ministry said.
Portals are technically not considered a part of the press industry, though they
carry news stories provided by media outlets that they then edit to run on their
sites, making them similar to the conventional press in terms of information
distribution, the ministry added.
The law also requires that portals electronically store all articles and video
clips posted going back six months in case they are required as evidence in a
legal dispute, according to the ministry.
User comments tagged to news stories and postings on private blogs or Internet
cafes, however, are not included in the revised law, said the ministry.
In April, the country's portal giants, including Naver and Daum, were ordered to
pay compensation to a man who claimed to have suffered from articles and user
comments that blamed him for the suicide of his ex-girlfriend. The plaintiff said
the portals had increased his suffering by refusing to take down the articles and
comments tagged to them.
The Supreme Court said in the ruling that portals can be perceived as a form of
press given their influence.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)