Naver corrects discriminatory descriptions of Africa in online encyclopedia

A now-deleted part of a section on Africa for elementary students in Naver Corp.'s online encyclopedia shows a student complaining about cafeteria food. A teacher encourages him to keep eating because there are starving children in Africa. They conclude that Africans only seem lazy because they live in a hot climate, and that African children would be furious if they saw the Korean school cafeteria food. Courtesy of Voluntary Agency Network of Korea

Naver Corp., South Korea's largest internet portal operator, has corrected biased information about Africa in its online encyclopedia at the request of a nongovernmental organization, the agency said Thursday.

The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) said it requested corrections for 84 cases, of which 70 cases have been revised.

They include revisions to discriminatory terms such as "bushmen,""black continent," "third world" and "negro." The term "black continent" was replaced with Sub-Saharan Africa while "negro" was replaced with "African-descended groups."

The remaining 14 cases are currently under review.

In addition, expressions that objectified humans as commodities, with terms such as "imported" and "cargo," were revised to "forcibly brought in" and "forcibly transferred" to highlight the coerced nature of the historical context, the group said.

VANK said the changes are significant as they go beyond simple wording adjustments and represent a shift toward narratives that reflect historical facts and contemporary perspectives.

Revisions were also made to sections inside the encyclopedia for elementary students. Images that previously focused on hunger and disease were revised to reflect diverse aspects of the region, including its rich culture, art, music and vibrant cities.

VANK and Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's key newswire, signed an agreement last year to promote the understanding of Africa and expand exchanges between South Korea and Africa.