Sensational Ahn keywords sweep Naver

Ahn Cheol-soo

“Ahn Cheol-soo room salon (hostess bar),” “Park Geun-hye room salon,” and “Park Geun-hye condom” were the most searched keywords at the nation’s largest portal site Naver on Tuesday afternoon.

As the lewd keywords connected with the possible front-runners for the presidential election appeared on the top 10 search ranking, people clicked on them out of curiosity, which saw them remain in the top positions through the night.

So what happened? What do Ahn and Park have to do with a room salon and a condom?

It began with a magazine report which said software mogul-turned-professor Ahn, a possible presidential contender, had drinking sessions in room salons, which are linked to prostitution.

Based on testimony from a businessman who claimed he drank with Ahn in such an establishment, the magazine reported Ahn lied because he had previously said in a talk show he has never been to such a place.

As the news drew public attention, “Ahn Cheol-soo room salon” became the No. 1 search. But about an hour later, “Park Geun-hye room salon” appeared, followed by “Lee Myung-bak room salon.”

When people search for “room salon” on Naver, they usually have to undergo a process confirming whether they are adults. But “Ahn Cheol-soo room salon” didn’t call for such a procedure and some bloggers suspect Naver didn’t apply the step deliberately in order to disgrace him.

Internet users then started to add other names like Park Geun-hye with room salon in searches.

Regarding the claims, Naver explained on its official blog that “room salon” is a word only adults can search for but when a particular word is reported by media or is searched over a specific number of times, it is opened to all age groups to guarantee people’s rights to information. “Park Geun-hye room salon” was also opened to minors because so many people searched for it.

In the evening, “Park Geun-hye condom” appeared as Netizens searched for it after Naver gave an example on its blog _ previously a condom maker’s stock price jumped after Park talked about AIDS prevention and many people typed those keywords at that time, so the combination is also open to minors.

Lies or misunderstandings?

Like the room salon report, there has been “disclosure” of alleged misbehaviors by Ahn, whose “clean” image is his strongest point against corruption-ridden politicians.

The report quoted a computer security system company chief that he went to a room salon with Ahn, saying the computer mogul lied about this on the talk show.

Ahn’s side said the report is not worthy of commenting on. Many bloggers also say Ahn’s comments on the program was made in the middle of joking with its hosts, and whether he ever went to a room salon or not has nothing to do with his capacity as a possible presidential candidate unless he committed irregularities there.

Criticism has also been leveled at Ahn for signing a petition asking for leniency to then jailed SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won in 2003 along with other members of V-Society, a fraternity consisting of business leaders of conglomerates and start-ups.

Ahn admitted that it was inappropriate, saying he would accept the criticism.

It was alleged that Ahn’s family members held director and an auditor positions at AhnLab, the anti-virus software firm he founded, contrary to his recent book in which he said his family didn’t take part in the firm’s management unlike other family-owned chaebol.

Ahn said they had to take the positions because nobody wanted to do so when it was just a start-up. <The Korea Times/Kim Rahn>

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