South Korea's Broadcast Media Communications Standards Commission will take a broad response to discriminatory and hate speech online.

The commission said on Thursday it plans to step up active monitoring and reviews of discriminatory and hate speech, encourage self-regulation by internet platform operators and expand media ethics education for youths.

The amended Information and Communications Network Act, which takes effect from July 7, defines as illegal information content that incites direct violence or discrimination or seriously fuels hatred on the grounds of race, country, region, gender, disability, age, social status, income level or property status.

The commission has conducted constant and focused monitoring of discriminatory and hate speech and has issued correction requests on more than 3,000 cases of discriminatory and derogatory content over the past 3 years.

On June 18, it ordered deletion and access blocking for a social media service (SNS) account that posted content mocking or insulting, without basis, victims of Japan's wartime “comfort women.” On June 17, it held a forum on “Internet hate speech, how should we respond?” and heard opinions from civic groups, academia and the Korea Internet Self-Regulation Organization, among others.

The commission views self-regulation by internet platform operators as essential to prevent the spread of discriminatory and derogatory content and plans to request cooperation from relevant operators. It will communicate with civic groups to provide relief to victims and pursue reviews that match conditions in the field.

It will also provide media ethics education to improve youths' awareness of discriminatory and hate speech. The commission is recruiting participating institutions for the programme across 11 education offices, including in Gangwon, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, Gwangju, Daejeon and North Chungcheong.

“In step with the amendment of the Information and Communications Network Act, we will not tolerate any discriminatory or derogatory information and will take swift action to create a healthy and safe internet environment,” the commission said.

It also urged internet users to make self-policing efforts to foster a mature online culture, and asked them to report discriminatory and derogatory content through its reporting page or by calling 1377 if they find it.