Korean Progressive Network (Jinbonet)
Encyclopedia
Korean Progressive Network (Jinbonet) is a nine-year-old organization in Seoul
, South Korea
. Jinbonet is a network that provides ICT services (web hosting, mailing list, webmail) to that country's progressive movement, civil society and workers unions.
, where participants focused on the importance of independent network for progressive communication in Korea
.
in the local Korean language
. It at present has eight full-time activists, apart from other volunteers.
As of 2006, Jinbonet had reported that it was providing hosting service for 600 civil society organisations, on their LAMP (Linux-Apache-MySQL-PhP) servers. This includes farmers' groups, civil movement, unionists, the women's movement, and human rights campaigners, among others.
-attack. International solidarity is one of the most important strategy. But in Korea
it is difficult to use ICT for international solidarity because of the language problem", PatchA of Jinbonet has bee quoted saying.
and the United States, and, in particular, its implications on "intellectual property rights" issues. The IRS (Internet Realname System) legislation passed in 2004 is another issue taken up and raised by Jinbonet.
and websites would be needed to install an Internet Realname System on their bulletin boards or comment board, thus compelling them to certify the identity of the person posting comments—a move seen by campaigners like Jinbonet as affecting privacy and free speech on the Net.
Its website says, "No copyright
, Just copyleft
!!"
has a significant online population—out of a total population of 50 million, broadband
registrations cross 11 million, and internet users total 30 million. Some 70% of the population is seen to have access to the net. High-tech tools like IPTV
(internet protocol TV) have been introduce, as has e-learning
.
But in terms of policies, critics and campaigners see South Korea
as being at a "low level". PatchA of Jinbonet has argued that this is probably because "the government-driven and market-driven ICT sector is not focused on the people's needs."
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Jinbonet is a network that provides ICT services (web hosting, mailing list, webmail) to that country's progressive movement, civil society and workers unions.
Best internet infrastructure, concern over rights
The Korean Confederation of Trades Union has been one of the biggest group they have been hosting to. In a country which has one of the best internet infrastructures—technically speaking—in the world, concern over the rights of the citizen in cyberspace are strong, and Jinbonet helps focus on some of these issues.After 1997 media conference
Kim Jeong Woo aka PatchA (30) is Jinbonet's ICT policy coordinator. This network was formed in the aftermath of a 1997 international labour media conference in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, where participants focused on the importance of independent network for progressive communication in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
'Progressive'
In 1998, Jinbonet was originally launched. 'Jinbo' means progressiveProgressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
in the local Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
. It at present has eight full-time activists, apart from other volunteers.
As of 2006, Jinbonet had reported that it was providing hosting service for 600 civil society organisations, on their LAMP (Linux-Apache-MySQL-PhP) servers. This includes farmers' groups, civil movement, unionists, the women's movement, and human rights campaigners, among others.
"Difficult in imbibing international mindset"
"Koreans (in civil society) have a difficulty to imbibe an international mindset. Koreans civil society organisations think that international solidarity is very important, in the age of globalisation. Specially the struggle against neo-liberalisation, WTO-attack or FTAFTA
FTA may stand for:* The Faery Tale Adventure, a computer game* Freight Transport Association* Failure to appear, a legal term* Fault tree analysis, a systems engineering term* Federación de Trabajadores Arubanos, the Aruban Workers' Federation...
-attack. International solidarity is one of the most important strategy. But in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
it is difficult to use ICT for international solidarity because of the language problem", PatchA of Jinbonet has bee quoted saying.
Issues raised
Some of the issues raised by Jinbonet recently include the Free Trade Agreement signed between South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and the United States, and, in particular, its implications on "intellectual property rights" issues. The IRS (Internet Realname System) legislation passed in 2004 is another issue taken up and raised by Jinbonet.
Internet Realname System
Under this law, the New MediaNew media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
and websites would be needed to install an Internet Realname System on their bulletin boards or comment board, thus compelling them to certify the identity of the person posting comments—a move seen by campaigners like Jinbonet as affecting privacy and free speech on the Net.
Its website says, "No copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
, Just copyleft
Copyleft
Copyleft is a play on the word copyright to describe the practice of using copyright law to offer the right to distribute copies and modified versions of a work and requiring that the same rights be preserved in modified versions of the work...
!!"
Tech progress, socially lagging behind
South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
has a significant online population—out of a total population of 50 million, broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
registrations cross 11 million, and internet users total 30 million. Some 70% of the population is seen to have access to the net. High-tech tools like IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
(internet protocol TV) have been introduce, as has e-learning
E-learning
E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process...
.
But in terms of policies, critics and campaigners see South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
as being at a "low level". PatchA of Jinbonet has argued that this is probably because "the government-driven and market-driven ICT sector is not focused on the people's needs."