The long-debated introduction of a 'gaming disorder' code in South Korea might be heading for yet another delay. Statistics Korea, the agency responsible for drafting the domestic classification of diseases, recently hinted that the schedule could be adjusted due to the ongoing stall within the public-private consultative body.

This development surfaced through documents provided to the office of Representative Cho Seung-rae on the 8th. Statistics Korea stated, "While the initial plan was to reflect the ICD-11 (11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases) in the 10th revision of the KCD (Korean Standard Classification of Diseases and Causes of Death) by 2031, the delay in reaching a consensus within the consultative body means the timeline is now subject to change."

The root of this controversy lies in the WHO's decision to officially classify 'gaming disorder' as a mental health condition. As South Korea has historically aligned its domestic disease classification system with international standards, adopting the ICD-11 verbatim would inevitably result in gaming disorder being recognized as a disease within the country.

The debate has been nothing short of fierce. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, along with the psychiatric community, has consistently supported the move, while the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the domestic gaming industry have pushed back. Since 2019, a public-private consultative body has been tasked with settling the dispute, but they remain locked in a stalemate.

Statistics Korea originally aimed to release a draft of the 10th KCD revision this October, but the lack of a resolution on the gaming disorder code has thrown a wrench in the works. The agency noted, "The decision to adopt ICD-11 and its implementation timeline will be determined by the consultative body's final verdict and the readiness of KCD-utilizing institutions to transition to the new system." Sticking to the consultative body's decision has been the agency's stance from the very beginning.

Should the discussions continue to drag on without a resolution, the target for the October draft may inevitably slide. Any further postponement of the draft would likely push back the implementation of the gaming disorder code itself. For now, all eyes are on the consultative body to see which direction they eventually choose to steer this ship.