Most of the victims so far were either in their late teens or 20s and were suicidal because of a failed relationship, money problems and other personal issues, according to police records. For some suicidal people, the Internet is a place where they can seek refuge by chatting online with similar people, which then can lead to making a murder contract, suicide pacts with others or learning about various suicide methods. Particularly, when people with problems get together at online chat rooms, the results are usually bound to be negative. Police did not close the other five sites because they offer counseling to help prevent suicides. However, although such services offer consolation to suicidal members as well as provide a public place for discussing the issue, the effects can also be negative.
Individual homepages are another place where strangers can meet and exchange thoughts on dying.
Although most suicide sites have been shut down, more cooperation from other institutions besides the police is needed to deal with the problem, experts said. Though 58.6 percent claim to have come across the sites accidentally while surfing the Net, 6.9 percent said they found them through media sources such as television or newspapers, and 16 percent through friends. It's everyone's problem. Public prosecutors and police have already taken measures to deal with the problem. Byun says the police still have no proven links between Internet use and suicide.