President Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday that he would review measures, including site closure and punitive damages, against Ilbe, an online community known by its full name Ilgan Best Storage.
Lee made the remarks on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing a news article reporting on a post by Cho Soo-jin, a director at the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. In the post, Cho claimed that on the previous day, a visitor who appeared to be an Ilbe user attended the memorial service marking the 17th anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's death, wearing an Ilbe T-shirt and taking photos while making a finger gesture symbolizing Ilbe.
"Regarding sites like Ilbe that incite social division and conflict through mockery and insult, there are coexisting arguments that this should be protected as freedom of expression and that sanctions, including punishment, are necessary," Lee said. "There has also been controversy over closing Ilbe." He added, "Under strict conditions, it appears that an actual review through public discourse is needed on permitting necessary measures such as punishment and punitive damages for mockery and hate speech, the closure of sites like Ilbe that neglect or encourage mockery and hatred, punitive damages, and fines." He further said, "I will also give instructions at the Cabinet meeting."
