Obsessed Internet gamers in South Korea now have a league of their own

While South Korea's Internet game industry has grown into an entertainment force on par with television and film, Internet addiction has become a national social problem.

Elite Korean professional gamers have loyal fans, lucrative salaries and signature celebration moves. A typical high school student, meanwhile, spends 23 hours a week playing Internet games. In the world's most wired country, the government faces a collision of interests concerning Internet game-playing. Some lawmakers say South Korea must fight Internet addiction by targeting the gaming industry, limiting the hours at which their games are available. Others see the industry as a still-growing moneymaker -- even a hallmark of Korean culture -- and they want it left alone. For at least five years, the government has tried to combat Internet addiction through education for parents, counseling, discussions about alternative activities.