South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Game Rating and Administration Committee have begun full-scale administrative guidance to eradicate illegal, unregistered internet PC game facility operations in lodging rooms.

The ministry and the committee said on Sunday they strengthened joint preventive activities after so-called "gametel" operations spread at some motels and other lodging facilities, where games are installed and provided on in-room PCs without proper registration. The move follows calls during a parliamentary audit for countermeasures.

The ministry sent official letters to metropolitan and provincial governments nationwide seeking cooperation. It asked them to step up guidance by informing lodging businesses under their jurisdiction of relevant laws and regulations.

The committee held a meeting with groups related to PC cafes to hear about the status of unregistered game operations and difficulties. It also consulted with three major domestic lodging reservation platform operators to inform them of compliance requirements. It in particular asked for platforms to manage, on a voluntary basis, online and on-site advertisements using specific phrases such as game room and PC cafe.

The two bodies plan to continue working closely with local governments and to strengthen guidance and outreach to eradicate unregistered game operations.

They also plan joint crackdowns with relevant agencies, including the ministry, local governments, the National Police Agency and the committee, against businesses where clear illegal activity is confirmed even after a prior guidance period, and to deal strictly with illegal operations.