[E-Daily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Calls for reform regarding Naver (NAVER(035420)) news comments were raised during a parliamentary audit. The argument is that, given the high likelihood that comments on political news could be exploited for public opinion manipulation during election seasons, measures should be considered to either remove comments entirely or, at the very least, switch to an external link system during election periods.

During the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee hearing on the 7th, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Choi Min-hee asked Kim Kwang-hyun, Naver’s Chief Data Officer (CDO), “Can’t we just get rid of Naver comments?”

CDO Kim replied, “I understand the concerns you’re raising,” but added that “comments also serve a positive function by allowing users to express themselves and exchange opinions.”

In response, Rep. Choi pointed out, “In the past, comments were purely another forum for public discourse, but that is no longer the case,” adding, “Under these circumstances, comments cannot continue as they are—especially during election season.” She went on to criticize comments on political news as a “hotbed of public opinion manipulation.”

Earlier in August, Rep. Choi had cited the findings of a KAIST research team that analyzed approximately 110 million Naver news comments accumulated over 20 years, raising the possibility of comment attacks by external forces. He explained that the analysis revealed comment attacks occurred regardless of whether the administration was progressive or conservative, and that activity believed to be linked to foreign forces was also observed. He emphasized that comment manipulation designed to fuel political conflict must be prevented, noting that related metrics spike significantly during every election season.

The effectiveness of Naver’s existing countermeasures also came under scrutiny. Representative Choi cited a recent case in which Naver filed a complaint regarding suspected macro activity related to the movie *The Assassins* and asked whether measures such as limits on “likes” and consecutive clicks had actually been effective.

CDO Kim explained, “We had established a comprehensive set of policies to prevent malicious comments and the manipulation of ‘likes’ and movie reviews using macros,” adding, “There were some issues during the service overhaul due to minor errors, but we took corrective action as soon as they were discovered.” He continued, “While there is no 100% perfect solution, we are doing our best.”

Rep. Choi also cited examples of domestic comment manipulation. Referring to the activities of the so-called “Rebox School” and “Jaseong-gun,” he explained, “It involves clicking ‘Like’ on articles selected by a leader and posting comments,” and argued, “Even in Korea, groups constantly attempting to manipulate comments view Naver as a host platform.”

Minister Choi Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also agreed on the need for fundamental improvements to the comment system. When Rep. Choi asked, “How do you view the harmful effects of comments?” Minister Choi replied, “There are both positive and negative aspects,” adding, “I believe that at one time, comments served as a public forum that stimulated citizen participation.” However, citing recent incidents involving comment manipulation rings and the system’s vulnerability to external attacks, he assessed, “I believe the negative effects have grown more significant.”

When Rep. Choi then asked, “Shouldn’t policy be directed toward minimizing or eliminating these negative effects?” Minister Choi replied, “I agree that fundamental improvements are needed.” He also mentioned past instances where comments on entertainment news were blocked and expressed agreement with the idea that fundamental measures are needed in the realm of political news as well.

Rep. Choi noted that the Democratic Party’s Special Committee on Media Reform is currently discussing portal reform measures and proposed that, at the very least, the comment management system should be changed during election periods. He said, “During election periods, when comment manipulation is highly likely to run rampant, shouldn’t we consider implementing outlinks for comments?” and requested that Naver and the government jointly review the matter.

In response, CDO Kim replied, “We will carefully consider the points you raised and strive to find a good solution.”