Private-Public Meeting for the Proper Use of Internet by Vulnerable Class Youth(Execution of an MOU by and between Private and Public for "Forest Camp for Children Internet Garrison" on May 17)

What should I do for my kid addicted to the Internet?

Mr. Park, who takes care of his elementary school boy without his wife, is under big worry recently. While he is working at the company, his young son spends time along doing the Internet at home. His son has been already addicted to the Internet and his learning ability has been lowered together with the weakened health. Though he scolded his son several times, it seems his bad habit of doing Internet all the time is being continued.

Mr. Park searched several Internet addiction cure camps provided by the government, but the camps usually required parents' participation in the camp while he could not absent from the office. Feeling sick at heart, he neglects his son as it has not been easy for him to find a solution due to difficult home environment.

When the camp for the vulnerable class children newly opened, the youth from the vulnerable family like that of Mr. Park can have the chance to get systematic education from the experts. Mr. Park can release part of his concern on his son thanks to the establishment of cure program his son can participate in.

According to statistics*, the Internet addiction ratio of the youth from vulnerable class of multicultural or single parent family (multicultural family 14.2%, single parent family 10.5%) is higher than that of normal family youths (10.4%).

* 2011 Internet addiction survey

However, as the parents have little time to care for their children and the Internet addiction cure programs provided by the government requires the participation of the parents, they were unable to participate in such programs.

To help those families, the government recently has prepared a new program for the Internet addicted youths from vulnerable class ("Forest Camp for Children Internet Garrison"). The program will help the youths to learn proper way of using the Internet and have healthy and right living habits.

For the establishment of "Forest Camp for Children Internet Garrison," the Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS, Minister Maeng, Hyung Kyu), the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF, Minister Kim Kum-lae), the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST, Minister Lee Ju-ho), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST, Minister Choe Kwang-shik), Korea Forest Service (KFS, Minister Don Koo LEE) and SK Communications (CEO Lee Ju-sik) jointly executed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 17, 2012 to heal the Internet addicted youths from vulnerable class.

※ Attendence: the 1st Vice-Minister of MOPAS, the Vice-Minister of MOGEF, the 2nd Vice-Minister of MEST, the 2nd Vice-Minister of MCST, the Minister of KFS and the CEO of SK Communications

It is meaningful that not only the governmental departments but also SK Communications, a representative Internet company, joined the MOU to enhance corporate social responsibility on the Internet.

The "Forest Camp for Children Internet Garrison" is a comprehensive healing program of individual Internet addiction cure program of the departments and can create synergy effect through the combination of knowhow and experience of the governmental departments that had responded the addiction so far.

Those who participate in the camp can prevent or heal their own problems and have the pride as a children garrison who would defend other children from the possible addiction to the Internet.

Career development program and special activities by different local communities will be added in the Camp and Youth Counseling Center will provide follow-up service so that the Camp can be a comprehensive counseling and controlling program.

The Camp will be held at the National Natural Recreation Forests nationwide to firstly separate the youths from the Internet where they can receive education, counseling and healing in the environment feeling the nature. The experience activity of forest stroll and meditation can be done at the Natural Recreation Forests which will be very helpful for the emotional stability of the youths and will maximize the healing effect.

The work scope of the departments joined in the MOU is as follows: ○ MOGEF: managing the operation of the camp and provision of related programs ○ MOPAS: support for the education programs on Internet addiction and information ethics ○ MCST: support of the program for the game addicted youth ○ MEST: promoting the camp through the schools and support for the administrative process of substitution for class attendance for the participants ○ KFS: provision of the Natural Forests as camping place and support for forest healing program ○ SK Communications: provision of on-line platform and support for the program

The 1st Vice-Minister of MOPAS, Seo Pil-Eon, who initiated the execution of the MOU requested continuous concern and efforts of related officers and corporate so that the MOU does not end with one-time event and accomplishes tangible results. MOGEF Vice-Minister Kim Tae-seok, managing the program, emphasized the importance of the memorandum, "the MOU will help the Internet addicted youths acquire proper Internet using habit and be a stepping stone to grow brightly and healthy."

The first camp will be held in June through the process of program promotion and recruiting of the participating youths by the related governmental departments and company.

*Government press release (August 14)