One congressman proposed that computer-shooting games encourage homicides by guns because people, who are addicted to shooting games, find themselves not being able to distinguish between imagination and reality. Then Kim Kwang-jin, another politician, refuted by asking, “Do car accidents occur due to those people addicted to racing games?” The public has concurred on this simple and clear logic. In Korea, there are controversies on whether computer gaming should fall in the category of drug addiction. The advocates believe that the government should intervene and manage the issue of computer gaming addiction. On the other hand, some people claim that it is an excessive regulation. The issue of categorizing computer games as a drug addiction should be judiciously contemplated.

           First, game addiction, presence per se, cannot destroy one’s life. There are negative impacts of computer games, for sure, because some people who are intensely addicted to it are unable to live normal lives. One teenager who murdered his parent turned out to be addicted to shooting games, and recently, a Korean mother left her newborn baby to starve to death. Despite these radical cases, computer games should not be classified as a drug because game addiction and other factors had begot such tragedies. Both the teenager and the mother had mental illnesses and they were living in unhealthy environments. Therefore, these factors, as well as game addiction, made them lack discipline. Because of these doubts and variables, even the experts have not come up with any scientific evidence to prove that game addiction triggers psychosis. Immersing oneself in a computer game could rather lead to a successful future, as in a career of as a computer programmer. For instance, ”Faker,” who is the best LOL (League of Legend) player in the world, earns at least three hundred thousand US dollars every year; considering his age, which is 18, it is a lot of income. 

                         Second, although computer games could arouse addiction, the standard of addiction is vague. Addiction refers to a state of being impossible to live a normal life or suffering from withdrawal symptoms. In this sense, should all pro-gamers, who practice games as their career, receive medical treatment? Furthermore, there are even game academies that give lectures on how to improve on playing games. These indicate that computer games have become an aspect of modern society’s culture. Based on the government’s logic, in fact, caffeine withdrawal should be listed as a mental disorder. Workaholics and people who are obese should all be perceived as having addictions and mental illnesses. So the point is, playing games intensely should not be labeled an addiction, but rather, immersion. 

           Computer gaming has become a part of contemporary society’s modern culture. It is a sport, an e-sport, which the young generation enjoys worldwide. Tournaments are conducted everywhere around the globe. This new aspect of culture should be respected and the government should not restrict it, but rather teach the citizens how to properly play for entertainment.