New legisation in South Korea would authorize the government to regulate online gaming like drugs, alcohol, and gambling.

In South Korea, video games are woven into the social fabric, with millions, young and old, playing each day. However, nearly eight percent of the population suffers from Internet or gaming addiction, according to a 2010 government study. The Korean government now spends about $10 million per year on treatment centers and prevention programs.

Fourteen state representatives submitted a bill this week that would strictly control the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of games. They are lead by Rep. Shin Eui-jin, a member of the conservative party and a former medical professor, who says the law would promote a "happy and healthy society"

Gaming has turned deadly on a number of occasions in South Korea. In 2005, a 28-year-old man died after a 50-hour binge on StarCraft, and in 2010, a 3-month old girl starved to death while her parents raised a virtual child in an online game.

In the United States, excessive Internet use and gaming is also widespread, but it won't be classified as an addiction for the foreseeable future. After a contentious debate, "Internet use disorder" will be left out of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association guidebook to psychological disorders, which is scheduled for release this month.