Could you imagine how many people in the US would be prosecuted if this was considered a crime like it is in Korea?:

Police yesterday launched an investigation on four Internet users who alleged manipulation of public opinion by artificially boosting hits on postings at Agora, a major online debate forum operated by the portal site Daum.

Officers in charge of cyber crime investigation at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency booked the 49-year-old head of a private academy surnamed Kang and three others without detention on charges of illegally boosting hit counts on certain messages uploaded to the forum.

Investigators said the suspects generated hits from 110,000 up to 930,000 beginning a year ago when the first candlelight vigil protesting the government’s resumption of American beef imports was held. One of the four suspects, named Park, uploaded messages that criticized protesters.

According to police, Kang said he was “concerned about not getting much attention to his original uploaded messages.” He also said he boosted hit counts of postings that had similar views.   [Joong Ang Ilbo]

Just think if this becomes a crime in the US, Markos Moulitsas Zúñiga would be arrested.  Could you imagine the response if that happened in the US where in Korea the response is rather muted.