South Korea to ban virtual item trading

[Trippy]

They are also banning botting for items. The articles on this are kind of vague as in can people not trade items in, like, Aion or WoW? Or is it only on items that can be exchanged through the game for real money?

From The Korean Times:

Korea has decided to ban trade for commercial game items from the second half of this year as a measure aimed at encouraging students to not waste time.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced that it is planning to halt all virtual item trades with a new law, to be announced sometime next month.

“The main purpose of the games is for entertainment and should be used for academic and other good purposes,” said Kim Kap-soo, head of the ministry’s content policy division, Wednesday.

[...]

For online role-playing games, the law prohibits users from using programs that allow in-game characters to hunt and collect items without the need of a player controlling them.

The ministry calculates that over 60 percent of items exchanged on the market were obtained by the use of automatic programs. Such programs and other method are impinging in the way of on-line games’ negative reputation, the government agency said.

Those who violate this law will face up to a 50 million won fine, at a maximum, and five years in jail.

Other articles:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/172452/Virtual_item_trading_to_be_banned_in_South_Korea.php

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/06/15/south-korea-banning-virtual-item-trading-botting-and-farming/

[luckton]

Would love to see how they'd enforce this thing.

[Paelos]

They can't. It's like like the FBI copyright warning. It's meant to stop the mass distribution, but the little fish? No chance.

[Ingmar]

Yes, making bots illegal will clearly reduce the amount of time people spend playing games. 

[UnSub]

I read it as a swipe at the Chinese goldfarming industry.

[Xanthippe]

Is this an outlawing then of the RMAH in Diablo 3 in South Korea?

Didn't South Korea raid Blizzard's offices there? Ah, yes.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2012/05/123_111971.html

[Paelos]

Korea won it's dispute, since Blizzard is being forced to give refunds to anyone who is under level 40 in the game, and a guarantee to refund any money for characters less than 20 from now on within two weeks of purchase.