Korea to treat game addiction as mental disorder

Young boys play an online game at a PC cafe in Seoul. / Korea Times file

Controversial decision to batter game firms hard

By Jun Ji-hye

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has made it clear that it will accept the stance of the World Health Organization (WHO) that game addition is a mental disorder, drawing a backlash from game developers and publishers here.

Game firms claimed if playing games is considered a mental disorder, it will lead to stringent regulations and kill the game industry.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which is tasked with promoting the nation's game industry, has also been busy figuring out the impact of the WHO's recognition of gaming disorder and coming up with countermeasures.

The culture ministry plans to present its research results that will refute the position that game addiction should be considered a mental disorder.

Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a National Assembly audit, Thursday, “If the WHO finally recognizes game addiction as a mental disorder, we will immediately accept it.”

The WHO's decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, is set to endorse the revised 11th International Classification of Diseases (the ICD-11), which classifies game addiction as a disease in the same category as substance abuse and gambling addiction, in May next year.

The ICD is used by countries as a reference for their policy making.

Rep. Choi Do-ja, a lawmaker of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, said, “The government needs to designate games as a form of gambling and impose financial burdens on game firms for addiction prevention.”

In an effort to reduce industrial damage, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), a culture ministry-affiliated organization, has been carrying out research since July on the impact of games on the human brain. The agency is expected to announce the interim findings of the study within the month and present that “game immersion” is not a mental disorder.

The ministry also plans to host an international symposium to discuss countermeasures as a number of medical professionals worldwide, including Korea's, have opposed the WHO's stance.

An official from a game firm said a careful approach is necessary before categorizing game addition as a mental disorder as it will exert a huge influence on medical institutions and the health insurance system as well as game industry.

“Designating games as substance, such alcohol and cigarette, without sufficient discussion and scientific and medical evidences will only brings difficulties to the game market,” she said.

Kang Shin-chul, president of Korea Association of Game Industry, pointed out that the WHO is pushing to categorize game addiction as a mental disorder but has yet to finalize the designation. He also stressed the game industry has contributed a lot to the nation's economy.

“The game industry has accounted for 50 percent of exports of hallyu-related content,” he said. “Games firms have also expanded their social contribution activities every year.”

He said problems, if they exist, could be resolved through the establishment of a self-regulatory organization.