South Korea Orders Deletion of 1,081 Adult Webtoon Ads Targeting Youth

South Korea's Media Rating and Communications Standards Commission ( 방송미디어통신심의위원회) has taken action against 1,081 advertisements for adult webtoons circulating on social media and blogs. The commission ordered the deletion or blocking of these ads, which used sexually suggestive images to attract minors to adult webtoon sites without implementing necessary age restrictions.

The decision aims to shield young users from the potentially harmful content found in these adult webtoons. Before implementing the measures, the commission collaborated with the Korea Cartoonists Association for over a year on monitoring efforts. Industry sources indicate a recent surge in advertisements on blogs and social media, using titles like 'Adult Webtoon Recommendations' and 'Adult Webtoon Reviews' to redirect users to adult webtoon platforms. These ads often employ provocative imagery and text to pique curiosity, with many exposed to minors due to a lack of age verification.

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Adult webtoon ads are problematic not only for their explicitness but also because their stimulating material, such as quasi-incest or forced sexual relations, carries a significant risk of instilling distorted sexual awareness in adolescents with high sexual curiosity.

According to the commission, South Korea's Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection prohibits the transmission of information advertising youth-harmful media to minors or publicly displaying it without age restrictions. Violators face imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million won. The commission highlighted that beyond their explicit nature, adult webtoons often feature disturbing themes like incest and forced sexual relations, posing a significant risk of instilling distorted sexual perceptions in adolescents.

The commission urged the adult webtoon industry to refrain from excessively explicit advertising and to actively engage in self-regulation, especially as "K-content" gains global attention, emphasizing the need for a healthy webtoon culture.

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As K-content garners global attention, we urge you to refrain from excessively explicit advertising and actively engage in self-regulation for the establishment of a healthy webtoon culture.