Korea Game Industry Association Submits 'Unfair Classification of Diseases with Gaming Disabilities' to WHO

The Korea Game Industry Association announced today (12th) that it has submitted an opinion to the World Health Organization (WHO) pointing out the unfairness of classifying disease codes for game use disorders.

The Korea Game Industry Association emphasized that the disease code of game use disorder is unfair from three perspectives.

First, from a medical point of view, ICD-11 does not define game use behavior, making it difficult to grasp the meaning of game use disorder, and the direct impact of game use on problematic behavior through games is unclear.

From a socio-cultural point of view, if game use disorders with unclear causes and treatments are classified as diseases, extreme social confusion can be caused. He added that a careful approach is needed as false interventions that control the use of games themselves can also be made.

From a legal point of view, they were concerned that the classification of game-use disorder diseases, combined with negative social perceptions of games, would serve as a strong basis for irrational regulations such as strengthening game rating screening and limiting game usage time.

In 2019, after the WHO added a "game use disorder" to the international disease code, there was a sharp conflict between gamers and the medical community over the possibility of introducing a "game use disorder" in Korea.

The Korea Game Industry Association insisted, "If a controversial disease code is newly listed on the ICD, it should be specified so that it can be introduced except for some disease codes." The WHO currently encourages member states to introduce the latest ICDs, but does not stipulate that they can be partially introduced.