In brief
After the devastating Jeju Air crash that killed 179 people, bereaved families have become targets of online hatred, with accusations of profiteering and being "fake victims." Authorities have stepped in, apprehending perpetrators as experts discuss the social issues fueling this toxic environment.
They lost their families in a plane crash - then came the online hate. Park Guen-woo, a 22-year-old who became an orphan after the Jeju Air tragedy, was barely able to grieve his parents before being inundated with malicious online comments and conspiracy theories. The Jeju Air flight, returning from Bangkok, crashed at Muan International Airport on December 29, killing 179 of the 181 aboard when it struck a concrete barrier and exploded.In the wake of the crash, police identified and arrested eight individuals accused of spreading derogatory remarks online. Many comments falsely claimed that the victims' families were "thrilled" to profit from compensation or labeled them as "fake victims," leading some to feel the need to publicly demonstrate their losses. Authorities have removed at least 427 harmful posts.This wave of online abuse is not unprecedented in South Korea, where victims of other tragedies, such as the 2022 Halloween crowd crush and the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, also faced similar vitriol. Experts attribute this malignant culture to societal issues such as financial envy and an obsession with competitiveness, exacerbated by pandemic-induced economic strain. Sociologist Koo Jeong-woo noted that many view each other not as peers but as rivals, triggering a propensity for hate speech and derogatory comments.Despite the state offering compensation averaging 420 million won ($292,840) for each victim of the Sewol ferry sinking, resentment from those struggling financially led to unsubstantiated claims that the bereaved were "overrated" in their treatment. Park Guen-woo described the families of crash victims as being viewed as "parasites" undermining the nation's resources, sharing the hurtful sentiments that followed a fund established to aid them."It seems like the families of the victims have hit the jackpot. They must be secretly delighted," read one post, exemplifying the cruelty of the backlash. Park highlighted that "each one of those comments cuts us deeply," emphasizing that their losses cannot be commoditized or ridiculed.Psychology professor Joshua Uyheng emphasized a pattern wherein hate is directed at perceived beneficiaries at others’ expense, prevalent in online communications. The crash's political context further complicated matters, as some blamed opposition parties, driven by distrust and divisive rhetoric.Park Han-shin, who lost his brother in the crash, faced accusations of being a "fake bereaved family member" and even of politically motivated agendas. His daughter publicly condemned the disparaging remarks made about her father on social media, voicing concern for his mental state amid such challenges.Experts suggest that better moderation of content and clearer definitions of hate speech by social media companies could help mitigate these issues. Prof. Koo advocates for seamless reporting systems for hateful content, while Prof. Uyheng recommends fostering empathy among online users, urging them to see commonality rather than division in tragedies like the Jeju Air crash.
