South Korea prohibits trade of online game items with money

• Rin wrote on 2012-06-15 17:33

  Quote from The Korea Times:

  Korea has decided to ban trade for commercial game items from the second half of this year as a measure aimed at encouraging students to not waste time.
  
  The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced that it is planning to halt all virtual item trades with a new law, to be announced sometime next month.
  
  “The main purpose of the games is for entertainment and should be used for academic and other good purposes,” said Kim Kap-soo, head of the ministry’s content policy division, Wednesday.
  
  The government official also stressed item collecting for commercial use is a serious hindrance to creating a healthy game culture.
  
  Korea is the world’s most-wired society with the Internet penetration rate standing at above 93 percent, data from government agencies said. Korea is also the home of the world’s biggest smartphone and TV manufacturer Samsung.
  
  For online roleplaying games, the law prohibits users from using programs that allow ingame characters to hunt and collect items without the need of a player controlling them.
  
  The ministry calculates that over 60 percent of items exchanged on the market were obtained by the use of automatic programs. Such programs and other method are impinging in the way of online games’ negative reputation, the government agency said.
  
  Those who violate this law will face up to a 50 million won fine, at a maximum, and five years in jail.
  
  For arcade games, game providers will be unable to list ingame items in their accounts as property, or handout gift certificates for item purchases. In 2007, the then popular arcade game Sea Story handed out certificates that were quickly exchanged or sold for cash, and the government is concerned that a similar incident may reoccur.
  
  The ministry said that arcade game businesses that keep books registering items and scores (that can be exchanged for cash) has risen to 1,500 as of April. There were only 50 such businesses in 2009.
  
  In a statement, the ministry says item trades contribute to many problems in society, including teenage crime, and felt that a solution was required.
  
  The ministry is planning to give active guidelines to provincial administrations and have the police department actively enforce the new law. The government is also heightening prevention of gambling and other illegal activities using games.
  
  Korea is a hub for online roleplaying games, which have also drawn concern because of the booming trade in virtual money and items.

  
  
  Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2012/06/129_112964.html
  
  As one comment has said:
  
  "I can just imagine the situation this could start.
  
  Back alley, black market item trades with shady gangsters for that ultra-rare sword or helmet."
• Cow wrote on 2012-06-15 17:45
  Does this only apply to South Korea?
• Rin wrote on 2012-06-15 17:57

  Quote from Cow;887494:

  Does this only apply to South Korea?

  
  
  Should be.
  
  I don't see how it could be anywhere else.
• BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2012-06-15 18:26
  It's obviously for the Chinese gold farmers who wreck MMO economies
  usually the games have good management so it wont get too out of hand
• Chockeh wrote on 2012-06-16 01:58
  People at Bliz forums are pissed. T_T
• Randomcheese wrote on 2012-06-18 05:15
  While reading this I'm wondering if it is because Korea recently passed a law:
  
  http://mabination.com/threads/53836-KR-Creating-a-Nexon-Account?p=888951&viewfull=1#post888951
  
  

  According to foreign reports, Nexon Korea has been fined a hefty amount of over 6 million USD for illegally sharing the details of 1.8 million Nexon users with 3rd parties. Another fine of 120,000 USD was also slapped on the Korean online gaming giant for this unauthorized act. According to Nexon Korea, the charge was already confirmed back in 2010, but the final amount to penalize was delayed till recently.
  
  This fine amount has got nothing to do with the recent hacking case (link), where the details of MapleStory players were obtained. The court has yet to confirm Nexon as guilty thus far, but it seems unlikely the company will avoid another hefty penalty payment.
  
  After continued hacking cases, the Korean government has also declared it will be illegal for game companies to obtain gamers' Social Security Number (KSSN) as part of the signup process starting from 18th August 2012. Other methods are to be used, including mobile identification.
  
  Current personal information of users, such as KSSN, is to be wiped by 17th August 2014 as part of the new law. As a gesture of goodwill, the government is giving companies an extended period of 6 month (till February 2013) to implement the new systems.
  
  A new law will also come into effect next month, making "companies" which earn revenue through selling game gold and items illegal. The exact details are still unknown, but the action of "trading more than 10 times in a period of 6 months, including earning over 12 million KRW" is the new guideline for authorities to take action on. More info here (link).
  
  Many more new law changes regarding online gaming in Korea will be announced soon, and they will no doubt leave companies sweating and gamers happy with the stern improvements on security and fair gaming.

  
  
  Source
• Kingofrunes wrote on 2012-06-26 23:59
  This could be problematic for South Korea Nexon. Which means they most likely will become more reliant on their US branch to cover the costs and losses they are facing in South Korea.
• Claudia wrote on 2012-06-27 01:52
  It's a start.
  
  I don't think this is a particularly bad thing.