South Korea says China blocked KakaoTalk, Line to fight terrorism

The icon of a free communication app "Line" is pictured on an Apple Inc's iPhone in this photo illustration in Tokyo August 14, 2012. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao reuters_tickers

SEOUL (Reuters) – Chinese authorities have blocked messaging apps KakaoTalk and Line as part of government efforts to crack down on terrorism, South Korea’s Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said on Thursday.

The ministry said China confirmed it had blocked the apps, and others, to prevent “terrorists to plot or incite attacks or spread information for building bombs”.

The ministry statement named the other blocked apps as Didi, Talk Box and Vower.

KakaoTalk is operated by South Korea’s Kakao Corp. Line is a messaging application operated by Line Corp, a Japan-based subsidiary of South Korea’s Naver Corp. Users of the applications in China had experienced problems since July 1, according to the South Korean ministry.

(Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Miral Fahmy)