From left to right: Kim Jung-ju (Nexon founder), Bang Joon-hyuk (Netmarble Chairman ) and Kim Taek-jin (NCSOFT CEO) (credits: Korea Times)

Nexon, NCSOFT and Netmarble stay silent after WHO classified gaming addiction as a mental disorder

Faradita Prayusti
Business & Industry
Internet & IT
May 30, 2019
1867

The big three game companies in Korea – Nexon, NCSOFT and Netmarble have remaining quite ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized digital and video game addiction as mental disorder on May 25. 

The silence of the three founder, Kim Jung-ju (Nexon), Bang Joon-hyuk (Netmarble) and Kim Taek-jin (NCSOFT) became a big question in Korea game industry. In contrast, the Korea Association of Game Industry (K-GAMES) and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA)worked together with other 90 organizations in a joint committee to countermove in reaction to the WHO resolution.  

KOCCA officials said they have asked Nexon, Netmarble and NCSOFT to join in the committee but there has been no answer from them.  

Last year, the Korea Academic Society of Games asked the three owners and Lee Joon-ho, the NHN Entertainment CEO, to arrange a roundtable conference but the association also received no responses from them.  

A Netmarble official said that regarding the WHO decision, they have decided to cooperate with K-Games and other game corporates to solve the problems.

Similar statement was also made by another official from one of the three companies to handle the issues with K-Games. 

If the WHO decision is applied into the South Korea’s policy making, the game industry in Korea will probably suffer a loss of 11 trillion won ($9.3 billion) over three years from 2023, according to Seoul National University. 

Nexon , NCSOFT , Netmarble , game , K-GAMES , KOCCA , WHO , game addiction