Kelly Ng & Juna Moon reporting from Singapore and Seoul for NEWS1. Park Han-shin, who lost his brother in the Jeju Air crash, has been accused of being a „fake bereaved family member.“
A tragic plane crash in South Korea last December left 22-year-old Park Guen-woo an orphan. As he struggled to mourn his parents, he faced a barrage of online abuse, conspiracy theories, and cruel jokes about the victims.
The Jeju Air plane, returning from Bangkok, Thailand, crash-landed at Muan International Airport on December 29, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. Police have arrested eight individuals for making derogatory and defamatory online posts about the victims, including suggesting that families were happy to receive compensation or that they were „fake victims.“
Authorities have removed at least 427 such posts, but this is not the first time bereaved families in South Korea have been targeted online. Experts attribute this to economic struggles, financial envy, and toxic competitiveness in society.
Following the Seoul Halloween crowd crush in 2022, victims and families were also targeted with hateful comments. Similar attacks were seen after the Sewol ferry sinking in 2014, with critics questioning the compensation given to victims.
Professor Koo Jeong-woo explained that economic stress and a competitive job market have fueled hate speech in South Korea. Many now view others as adversaries rather than peers, leading to a culture of comparison and hate speech.
Park Guen-woo, who lost his parents in the crash, spoke out against the malicious comments and false accusations directed at the victims‘ families. He emphasized that they are not seeking to profit from the tragedy but are deeply hurt by hurtful remarks.
Psychology professor Joshua Uyheng noted that hate is often directed towards those perceived to have an advantage, leading to feelings of resentment.
The political climate in South Korea has also played a role in exacerbating the situation. Supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol have falsely blamed the opposition Democratic Party for the crash, further dividing the country.
Park Han-shin, who lost his brother in the crash, has been falsely accused of being a DP member and a „fake bereaved family member.“ His daughter spoke out against these claims, expressing concern for her father’s well-being.
Park Han-shin condemned those who exploit others‘ pain for their own gain, emphasizing the need for empathy and compassion in times of tragedy. Kelly Ng & Juna Moon Berichterstattung aus Singapur und Seoul NEWS1 Ich kam, um die Wahrheit über den Tod meines jüngeren Bruders herauszufinden.
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Die Polizei hat sechs Personen in Zusammenhang mit hasserfüllten Kommentaren gegen Personen, die mit den Opfern des Jeju-Air-Absturzes in Verbindung stehen, verhaftet.
Experten sagen, dass Social-Media-Unternehmen Richtlinien festlegen sollten, was als Hassrede gilt, und Inhalte auf ihren Plattformen entsprechend moderieren sollten.
„Online-Nutzer sollten in der Lage sein, bösartige Beiträge und Kommentare reibungslos zu melden, und Plattformunternehmen müssen solche Inhalte aktiv löschen“, sagt Prof. Koo. Strafverfolgungsbehörden sollten auch Täter zur Rechenschaft ziehen, fügt er hinzu.
Prof. Uyheng sagt, dass es auch helfen könnte, die Menschen an ihre gemeinsame Identität zu erinnern.
„Je weniger Menschen das Gefühl haben, dass sie sich am gegenüberliegenden Ende eines Nullsummenspiels befinden, desto mehr können sie spüren, dass Tragödien wie diese das gemeinsame Anliegen von uns allen sind – und dass Opfer Mitgefühl und Mitgefühl verdienen, nicht Galle und Verurteilung.“