South Korea's Broadcast Media Communications Commission said on Feb. 10 that a revision to the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Broadcast Media Communications Commission cleared a cabinet meeting. The revision enables the swift blocking of illegal online content such as drugs and gambling through written reviews by the Broadcast Media Communications Deliberation Commission.

The commission said the revision was pushed to improve existing procedures focused on in-person deliberations so information with major social harm can be handled immediately.

Written review will cover seven areas: drugs, gambling, copyright infringement, telecommunications financial fraud, content inducing suicide, organ and personal data sales, and the manufacture of firearms and explosives.

The revision means illegal information that threatens people's lives and property can be immediately deleted or blocked under a zero-tolerance principle, it said. The commission said it aims to create a safe digital environment by cutting off the distribution chain of information abused as a means of crime.

Kim Jong-chul (김종철), chair of the commission, said, "We will strengthen institutional response capabilities to build a tight digital safety net that people can feel." The commission said it plans to continue expanding technical support to protect daily life from illegal information.