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"Google has finally given in to a government request [and] will check on ages of Korean users who search for adult-only Internet sites."
"Google debuted Korean-language services in 2001 but failed to be a contender,"
"Experts raised many reasons for the setbacks and one of the most frequently cited ones is that it failed to become part of the cultural fabric of Korean society as demonstrated by the adult authentication that many Koreans deem very important."
I guess this can be viewed in many different lights; one might be the Cencorship issue with Google "giving in to pressure", or another might be that Google is taking steps to address the local culture issue. It has been commented many times the challenges any business faces entering a local market and Google's apparent errors in this area, like the White Promo Bus. Perhaps this is the beginning of a concerted effort to penetrate the Korean Market.
Onya
Woz
Although the big players like Google and Yahoo are criticized in the West for complicity with the authorities in China I don't think we can simplify these individual, and unique local markets to fit into the Western mould. Local laws and local customs will take precedence whether or not everyone agrees with the morality issues.
Particularly in Korea I think Google and other outside SEs will need to be a lot more accommodating if they are to be making any progress. As we have seen, simply showing up in the Korean market hasn't fared well for Google to date.
