 Internet communities are sprouting up in support of Kim Kil-tae, the suspect in the kidnapping and killing of a 13-year-old schoolgirl. |
Staff Reporter
Police are investigating some Internet users for their support of Kim Kil-tae, the chief suspect in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl.
Some of them have established Internet communities on portal site Naver, describing themselves as fans of Kim.
One of them, introducing itself as his largest fan site has already drawn nearly 2,000 registered members. The sites carry postings lauding the victim's murder, police said.
An online campaign for his release has launched, proclaiming: "Kim is innocent."
The Korea Communications Standard Commission, which oversees portal services, issued an urgent order for the shutdown of such communities Sunday night and the portal immediately acted accordingly.
But the authorities are afraid for the reemergence of similar communities.
A spokesman for the portal said a total of six of the sites had been closed.
"We are monitoring around the clock to uncover suspicious communities," the spokesman said. "Those we deem suspicious are subject to immediate shutdown."
According to police, the first fan site was created last Wednesday. On the same day, Kim was apprehended just 100 meters from the crime scene in Busan after 15 days on the run.
Titled, "I Love Kim Kil-tae," the Web site drew nearly 2,000 subscribers before it was closed Sunday, police said.
The site's Web master said in an article posted Saturday, "Kim must be freed because the DNA sample found on the victim's body tested negative for Kim.
The police distributed false information to the media to put Kim under arrest."
Police are collecting information regarding the sites and subscribers may be summoned for questioning.
It is a kind of fad for some netizens to set up "cafes" in support of criminals who are caught but most of them close as interest in those cases tapers off.
pss@koreatimes.co.kr
경찰 김길태 팬카페 조사
경찰은 13살 여학생을 성폭행하고 살해한 혐의를 받고 있는 피의자 김길태에게 지지 의사를 보내는 인터넷 사용자들에 대한 조사에 들어갔다.
김 씨의 팬이라고 자처하는 사람들이 네이버 포탈 사이트에 인터넷 커뮤니티를 만들었다. 그 중하나는 무려 2,000명의 회원을 모집하기도 했다. 이 사이트에는 김길태의 흉악무도한 행위를 칭찬하는 글이 게재돼 있다고 경찰이 전했다.
방송통신위원회는 14일 밤 해당 포털 사이트에 이러한 팬 카페들을 즉시 폐쇄하라고 명령해 전체 6개 사이트가 폐쇄되었다.
이 사이트들은 10일 처음 만들어졌고, 그 후 `사랑해요 김길태’라는 이름의 사이트들이 만들어지기도 했다. 또한 ``김길태가 DNA 불일치로 풀려났다. 경찰이 거짓 정보를 흘렸다’’는 근거 없는 루머가 유포해 경찰은 이에 대한 정보를 수집 중이며, 이와 관련된 사람들은 경찰에 소환될 수도 있는 것으로 알려졌다.
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