November 17 YEDG discussion

[Casey Lartigue, Jr.]

Greetings, all:

 

Assuming anyone confirms to show up, I will be joining the discussion on November 17, one issue that interests me is the the bill proposed by a Saenuri member to regulate computer games as an addiction on par with acoholism, gambling and drug use.

 

KC

 

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2013/11/202_145975.html

 

Addressing game addiction Government should carry out balanced policies  How addictive are Internet games? The online community is boiling with a controversy over a proposed bill to regulate computer games alongside alcoholism, gambling and drug abuse over their addictions. The bill, proposed by Rep. Shin Eui-jin of the ruling Saenuri Party, envisions creating an independent agency that will handle problems caused by addiction and obliges the government to draw up a long-term plan aimed at preventing game addiction and helping the rehabilitation of addicts. The doctor-turned-lawmaker organized a public hearing last week and plans to hold another hearing soon before seeking to push the bill through the legislature during the ongoing regular session. The relevant industry and game users fundamentally show strong resistance to the notion that online games have been branded as an antisocial evil like drug addiction by the ruling camp, which has committed to promoting games as a creative industry. More realistically, they fear that other regulations will come out to strangle the game industry that exported $2.4 billion worth of content last year and employs about 100,000 in the 10 trillion won local market. In fact, there are two other bills pending at the National Assembly that would allow the government to collect from makers of online games part of annual sales to be deposited in a fund that would be used to help cure people addicted to games. They also vent anger, arguing that the legislation is tantamount to a death sentence to the game industry at a time when there is a strong need to groom Korea into a software powerhouse. The Korea Internet and Digital Entertainment Association started a signature-collecting petition against the anti-game bills and as of Thursday, more than 160,000 people signed up for the petition. Rep. Shin counters the criticism, saying her proposal is more about prevention than regulation. She claims that fostering industries is one thing and addressing side effects is another, adding that the bills are intended to create a system in which game addiction will be managed comprehensively. True, there are both bright and dark sides as far as online games are concerned, and the time is long overdue for the nation to tackle socioeconomic problems associated with excessive playing of online games. The addiction problem among youngsters is, in particular, so serious that it’s all but impossible for them to get out of the trap once addicted, putting parents in despair and causing them to harbor deep hatred toward game makers as a whole. About 3.3 million Koreans allegedly need medical treatment, given the extent of their addiction to online games. But measures are not effective enough to help addicts and prevent people from being addicted. The game industry’s uproar of protests is understandable, considering the insufficient scientific data supporting the toxicity inherent in Internet games and overlapping regulations. But it’s also undeniable that there should be some preventive and remedial measures. What’s needed is that the government and the political circles ought to cooperate to achieve a double goal of tackling game addiction and promoting the industry. To this end, the government especially needs to carry out balanced policies.

[박주하]

Hi Casey, 

 

Here is Serena, 

Yes, we are still having meeting until last Sunday. 

Ok we can have meeting with your material as well.

Thanks for supporting this Sunday discussion group!

I hope to see you this Sunday then.

 

Cheers, 

 

Serena, 

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[Casey Lartigue, Jr.]

Thanks, Serena!

 

I haven't been back in a while, but I try to return whenever I am free on Sunday mornings. 11/17 is in my schedule

 

1) Starts at 9 am or 8:30?

2) More than one article? I think we can talk about the video game article for a while, but another article should be fine.

 

KC

http://www.nayacasey.com

 

[박주하]

hi Casey!

 

Glad to hear back from you.

 

our meeting starts at 9:00. but usually members comes a bit late,, 20 min or so. (just in case)

 

For discussion topics, I am the one who is supposed to bring those. So I will bring 2 more articles except your suggestion!

If you feel like being a facilitator this week, you can bring 2 more articles instead of me! ;)

 

Then, see you this Sunday!

 

Ciao from Serena, 

[Casey Lartigue, Jr.]

Hi Serena,

 

Great, looking forward to it!

 

But I'm not smart enough to handle three topics in one session. So I will just guide the discussion with that article about video games.^^

 

Casey

http://www.nayacasey.com