Privacy concerns send Koreans fleeing to foreign messenger app

  A growing number of Korean users are migrating to foreign mobile messenger services in (1)what is seen as “cyberexile” after the country’s prosecution threatened to (2)step up real-time monitoring of social media to (3)crack down on libelous rumors. The prosecution’s (4)much-disputed clampdown on online rumors and mobile messages came last week shortly after President Park Geun-hye blasted groundless online accusations, arguing that those malicious postings would divide the public and damage social cohesion. Park’s criticism (5)is linked to the prosecution’s unprecedented move to investigate a Japanese journalist for (6)allegedly writing (7)libelous reports on the South Korean president’s (8)whereabouts on the day the Sewol ferry sank in April.
  As public outcry rose against the prosecution’s move, the prosecution claimed its monitoring would (9)be limited to malicious commentators on major portals, not messenger services. But Korean users (10)remain skeptical about its official stance and (11)expressed fear their private messages on mobile apps such as Kakao Talk would be closely monitored by authorities. The prosecution plans to investigate and, if necessary, (12)indict those who write malicious comments online, (13)even if the injured parties do not file for libel. The (14)greatest beneficiary of the (15)sweeping online monitoring and (16)potential criminal investigations by authorities is a foreign messaging app named Telegram. In the past week, the app has (17)gained rapid popularity among Korean smartphone users who believe such foreign apps are relatively safe from the government’s (18)prying eyes. Telegram was chiefly (19)designed to avoid the (20)tight monitoring of Russian security authorities. (21)Whatever is talked about on it is not stored in the company’s main servers and is(22)strictly encrypted, (23)which makes it difficult for outsiders to covertly monitor the content of messages.This week, the app rose rapidly on the popularity lists of local smartphone app markets, (24)underscoring growing public fears about state interference in cyberspace. To allow Koreans to use Telegram more conveniently, the app is preparing to offer Korean language services in the near future.
  Due to the sense of security Telegram offers, many people in the Korean stock market have already begun using it, (25)multiple sources said. Financial (26)industry workers have apparently (27)shunned Korean messenger programs (28)as any suspicious trading through local messengers is subject to state censorship. The (29)bulletin boards for Telegram users have been filled (30)with frustration and anger with some calling the Seoul government “Big Brother.” In particular, they claimed that (31)with the crackdown on online libel, they felt like they were in North Korea.“(We are) not in North Korea. Is South Korea a democratic state?” said a netizen on the Telegram online review board.Another netizen said, “Let’s go to Telegram where the values of human rights and freedom are secured. Another pointed out, “(32)Korean society is moving forward while Korean politics appear to be retrogressing.” The (33)so-called cyberexile has (34)triggered concerns among local mobile messenger providers including KaKao Talk and Naver’s Line, as they might be the victims of (35)the government’s move to clean up malicious comments online and mobile platforms ― a (36)Herculean task (37)given the (38)fragmented nature of the Internet and the (39)massive volume of messages churned out on various channels. Kakao Talk officials argued that (40)given some 6 billion messages a day are exchanged through its messenger program, it is impossible for the state to(41) keep track of all the messages. They also (42)stressed that (43)without any due legal procedures including securing a search warrant, the prosecution would not be able to monitor private messages online.

(1) what is seen as “cyber exile”: “사이버망명”이라고 여겨지는 것
(2)step up real-time monitoring :실시간 감시를 강화하다
(3)crack down on :~을 엄중히 단속하다
(4)much-disputed clampdown :논란의 여지가 많은 단속
(5)is linked to :~와 관련이 있다
(6)allegedly :(본인의) 주장에 의하면
(7)libelous :중상적인
(8)whereabouts :행방
(9)be limited to :~에 국한되다
(10)remain skeptical about :~에 대해 여전히 회의를 표시하다
(11)expressed fear :우려를 표하다
(12)indict :기소하다
(13)even if the injured parties do not file for libel :피해당사자들이 명예훼손죄로 고소를 하지 않아도
(14)The greatest beneficiary :최대 수혜자
(15)sweeping :광범위한
(16)potential :잠재적인
(17)gained rapid popularity :급속한 인기를 얻다
(18)prying eyes ;호기심 어린 눈길 (“감시의 눈초리” 정도로 이해하시면 됩니다)
(19)designed to :~하도록 고안된
(20)tight monitoring of Russian security authorities :러시아 공안당국의 엄격한 감시
(21)Whatever is talked about on it :Telegram상에서 말하여지는 모든 것들
(22)strictly encrypted :철저히 암호화 되어진
(23)which makes it difficult for outsiders to covertly monitor the content of messages :(Telegram상에서 말하여지는 모든 것들이 회사의 주 서버에 저장되어지지 않고, 철저히 암호화 되어졌기 때문에) 외부인들이 비밀리에 메시지의 내용을 살펴보는 것을 어렵게 만든다.
(24)underscoring growing public fears about state interference in cyberspace :사이버 공간에서 국가의 간섭에 대한 커가는 대중들의 두려움을 두드러지게 하는
(25)multiple sources :복수의 소식통
(26)Financial industry workers :금융업 종사자들
(27)shunned :피하다
(28)as any suspicious trading through local messengers is subject to state censorship :국내 메신저를 통한 어떠한 의심스러운 거래라도 정부의 검열을 받아야 하기 때문에
(29)bulletin boards :게시판
(30)with some calling the Seoul government “Big Brother :어떤 사람들은 서울시를 “Big Brother (사생활을 침해하며 국민에게 권력을 휘두르는 독재적 조직)”라고 부르고 있다
(31)with the crackdown on online libel :사이버상의 명예훼손에 대한 엄중한 단속이 존재하는 상황에서
(32)Korean society is moving forward while Korean politics appear to be retrogressing.:한국 사회는 앞으로 나아가고 있는데, 이에 반해 한국의 정치는 퇴보하고 있는 것처럼 보인다.
(33)so-called :소위, 이른바
(34)triggered concerns among local mobile messenger providers including KaKao Talk and Naver’s Line :Kakao Talk이나 Naver’s Line과 같은 국내 이동 메신저 제공업체들 사이에서 걱정을 불러일으키다
(35)the government’s move to clean up malicious comments :악성 댓글을 근절하려는 정부의 조치
(36)Herculean task :매우 힘든 일
(37)given :~을 감안한다면
(38)fragmented nature of the Internet :인터넷의 산발적인 특성
(39)massive volume of messages churned out on various channels :다양한 경로를 통해 대량으로 생산되어진 방대한 양의 메시지
(40)given some 6 billion messages a day are exchanged through its messenger program: 하루에 대략 60억 개의 메시지가 Kakao Talk의 메신저 프로그램을 통하여 교환되어진다는 것을 감안한다면
(41)keep track of: ~을 추적하다
(42)stressed :강조하다
(43)without any due legal procedures including securing a search warrant :수색영장을 확보하는 것과 같은 어떠한 법적 절차 없이는
By Song Sang-ho
Published: Sep 25, 2014
Source: The Korea Herald