Choi Jin-sil Suicide Linked to Internet Rumors

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Media outlets are reporting that the recent suicide of South Korean actress Choi Jin-sil may be linked to internet rumors attacking and slandering the thespian. These rumors, called “cyber-terrorism” by South Korean authorities, alleged that Ahn Jae-hwan, another actor, had taken money from Choi to cover his financial troubles. Ahn Jae-hwan later committed suicide himself, and the internet blamed Choi’s loans as a contributing factor in his death. The Korean Times has more on this case:

South Korea’s iconic actress Choi Jin-sil was found dead at her home in what appears to be a suicide amid [internet] rumors that linked her to the recent death of another actor, Yonhap News reported quoting police Thursday. 

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Rumors have since circulated on the Web that Choi had lent a large sum of money to [actor, Ahn Jae-hwan], who was reportedly in deepening debt due to a failing business. Ahn’s financial troubles were seen as the chief factor leading up to his suicide.

Choi sought a police probe into the source of the rumors, calling them groundless. Police arrested a securities company employee this week for spreading the rumors that Choi lent 2.5 billion won ($2 million) to Ahn.

The Los Angeles Times has more. Quoting from the page:

The post about one of South Korea’s most beloved actresses surfaced in an online club for stock investors last month, days after an actor friend of hers committed suicide. The post went on to claim that the dead actor had owed Choi money.

The rumor was copied and spread widely over the next days, with online posters blaming Choi’s money lending for the actor’s death. Choi, a national sweetheart long admired for overcoming adversity, resented and strongly denied the rumor. She said she was “scared that the world distorts friendship.”

Less than two weeks later, Choi was found hanged in the bathroom of her house in Seoul, prompting some in the South Korean news media to point the finger at Internet gossipmongers, who were accused of driving the mother of two to take her life.

The piece weighs internet safety and free speech concerns when looking at how courts are to legislate the future of responsible, free speech on the internet.

Choi’s suicide came at a time when government officials are pushing to introduce new clauses in communication laws to enforce harsher punishment for cyber-insults. The country is also preparing to extend an existing law that requires Web service providers to confirm social security numbers and the real names of users.

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The idea of introducing a cyber-insult law is finding traction in the wake of Choi’s death, especially among the ruling party legislators  . . . [but] some worry that new laws could have a chilling effect on free speech.

ReputationDefender Blog has covered the link between anonymous hate speech and suicide before. Internet anonymity is responsible for driving a large part of internet culture, as well as the real world consequences associated with online actions. Interested readers are invited to view the ReputationDefender Blog posts on Meghan Meier and the Chicago Ad Executive for more on this emerging trend. It is clear that as the courts move to establish internet case law, they will have to pay attention to cases like these. ReputationDefender is a strong proponant of free and responsible speech.