By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
From next year, gamers and other Internet addicts will be able to install free software programs into their laptops to limit their access time to the Internet, the Office of the Prime Minister said Monday.
The plan was unveiled following the increase in addicts here, which, according to the government, has reached approximately 2 million. However, industry experts say the real figure is much higher.
The government will make available two types of software aimed at limiting bloggers' hours online - a consensual shut-down program and Internet Fatigue, a program designed to make gamers become bored as time goes by.
Under the consensual shut-down program, bloggers can set the days or hours they can access the Internet.
Under the "i-ACTION 2012," an inter-ministry team led by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security came up with a set of measures to fight the rise of Internet addicts. The term ACTION stands for Attention, Counseling, Training, Institution, Outcome and Networks.
The government will put a priority on preventive measures. Those addicted to the Internet will be advised to take advantage of government-sponsored educational programs and counseling services.
The team will launch educational schemes for approximately 10 million people. About 300,000 Internet users will be invited for tailored counseling services which will create some 10,000 jobs. .
Eo Gee-jun, president of the Korea Computer Life Institute, told The Korea Times that three out of 10 adults are addicted gamers, while the number of addicted teenage gamers is slightly lower at 26 percent.
"Children start to play Internet games when they become fourth or fifth graders. They tend to be more attached to them as they grow up. Teenagers are under the control of their parents at home and are discouraged from accessing the Internet for long hours," he said.
"Addicted adult gamers outnumber their teenager counterparts because the former are no longer under control of their parents".
The local online game market is worth approximately 1.5 trillion won.
Internet addiction has been addressed as a major social problem.
Recently, a couple who were addicted to online games, stunned the nation as their negligence resulted in their baby starving to death.
Police said the husband and wife spent 12 hours or more playing online games at a nearby PC room and rarely fed their baby, which led to her death.
The Korea Times
