By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) ruled Tuesday that Internet users' online campaign organizing a boycott of companies running advertisements in conservative newspapers was illegal. It said the campaign could infringe upon the rights of the companies.
The ruling by the media policy-setting agency came after Internet users launched a campaign to boycott the Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and Dong-a Ilbo ― three papers critical of candlelit protests against U.S. beef imports ― and called for companies to stop placing ads in them.
They posted the names of companies and phone numbers on Daum portal as part of the boycott campaign.
``It's illegal to post comments to pressure companies not to advertise in newspapers,'' the KCC said.
It ordered Daum to delete 58 out of 80 postings subject to the review.
But the agency said consumers did have the right to boycott the three papers and post criticism of them on the Internet.
Daum asked the KCC early last month to determine if the online boycott campaign violated the law after receiving requests from companies to delete malicious Internet postings against them.
KCC held initial hearings on the case on June 17 and 25 but failed to reach a conclusion.
The three newspapers and companies running ads in them claimed that some Internet users were causing massive problems with their businesses by making threatening phone calls and intentionally making and canceling reservations repeatedly.
Internet users and some progressive civic groups argue that it is the consumers' right to boycott certain goods.