Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has been severely criticized by lawmakers for his pledges to conduct closer monitoring of written messages among ordinary smartphone users.

Hwang has clarified that the prosecution’s move to reinforce oversight of the Internet and mobile users was in line with President Park Geun-hye’s instructions to turn up the heat on those engaging in defamation.

“(The president) ordered the prosecution to conduct an investigation into cyberlibel cases since (her) inauguration many times. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has reflected the president’s remarks,” Hwang said during a parliamentary hearing on the Ministry of Justice on Monday.

Further, a media release from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office specified that it was planning to “crack down on the spread of groundless rumors, (through) real-time monitoring and constant uncovering.”

Opposition lawmakers denounced the prosecution for “being demoted to the (role of) warrior” of the president.

Rep. Lim Soo-kyung of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy cited the prosecution’s policy to monitor KakaoTalk messages: “As the raid target includes comprehensive contents among users, it could be regarded as surveillance of ordinary people.”

Rep. Lee Chun-seok of the NPAD said that investigators “are scrutinizing the postings of KakaoTalk users including college students, who suggested protesting against the government for its lax countermeasures toward the April 16 ferry sinking.”

The authority’s policy has invited a backlash from the operator of KakaoTalk. It has vowed to put privacy before the law by denying investigators’ access to the messages of its users in the future.

Amid the spread of public criticism, the justice minister claimed that a “probe into cyberdefamation cases should not be based on political purposes.” Hwang added that he was also a user of KakaoTalk.

Regarding the KakaoTalk operator’s promise to customers that they would reject investigators’ access to the messages, Hwang said he did not believe that the operators will turn down even reference requests with legitimate warrants.

Lawmakers stressed that the prosecution should distinguish between surveillance of law-breakers and of ordinary users, expressing concerns about infringements on the freedom of expression via online postings.

Last August, prosecutors launched a new task force, vowing stern action against anyone who spreads false information that could bring about “social confusion and discord,” spreading worry among Kakao users about the privacy of their chats.

Kakao users recently went on a so-called “digital migration,” quickly switching to other messenger applications to seek better protection. Germany-based Telegram, launched by Russian-born entrepreneurs, has suddenly become one of the most popular messenger apps in the local mobile market.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)