The Korea Game Industry Association announced on the 12th that it has submitted a statement to the World Health Organization (WHO) expressing that the classification of gaming disorder as a disease code is inappropriate.
The association explained that the classification of gaming disorder as a disease code is unjust from three perspectives. First, from a medical standpoint, although gaming disorder is based on specific gaming behaviors, the ICD-11, which classifies it as a disease, does not define gaming behaviors.
Additionally, it pointed out that it is unclear whether problematic behaviors exhibited through gaming are directly influenced by gaming itself. It also emphasized issues of fairness, such as the fact that problematic gaming tends to resolve naturally within 1 to 2 years and questioned whether gaming disorder is as risky a behavior as gambling disorder, which is also classified as a disease.
From a sociocultural perspective, the association included concerns that classifying gaming disorder?a condition with unclear causes and treatments?as a disease could cause severe social confusion. Since gaming is a leisure activity enjoyed by many worldwide and is involved in job formation, social consensus is necessary.
From a legal perspective, it raised the issue that classifying gaming disorder as a disease could combine with negative social perceptions of gaming and serve as a strong basis for irrational regulations, unjustly restricting the freedom of gamers.
WHO currently encourages member countries to adopt the latest ICD but does not stipulate that it must be adopted partially. The association argued, "If controversial disease codes like gaming disorder are included in the ICD, it should be explicitly stated that countries can adopt them excluding certain parts."
Kang Sin-cheol, president of the Korea Game Industry Association, said, "Registering a disease code that has not been sufficiently clarified in ICD-11 could cause significant anxiety and confusion in society," and added, "We strongly request that WHO publicly reexamine the gaming disorder disease code regarding the severity of the phenomenon, the validity of causal relationships, and whether it is a problem that can be resolved by means other than medical intervention."
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