Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Requests KCSC Review for 6 Cases of 'New Coronavirus Rumors and Falsehoods'

KCDC Requests KCSC Direct Review of 6 'New Coronavirus Rumors'
Discussion Scheduled at Communications Review Subcommittee on the 6th
Correcting Serious Distortions...
KCSC's Second Meeting on 'New Coronavirus Fake News' Reviews 25 Cases
6 Requested by KCDC, 13 Reported by Public, 6 from KCSC Intensive Monitoring

Foreign tourists visiting Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul on the 3rd amid the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus infection are wearing masks. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] "It spreads just by making eye contact," "An infected person is on the run," "A confirmed patient has collapsed at Starfield."

As SNS rumors and falsehoods related to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) spread, 25 cases of 'Wuhan pneumonia fake news' have been submitted as correction agenda items to the Broadcasting and Communications Review Committee subcommittee scheduled for the 6th. Among these, six posts were directly reported by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Ministry of Health and Welfare due to the severity of the misinformation. After deliberation by the review committee members, the information may be subject to deletion.

According to the review committee on the 4th, at the Communications Review Subcommittee on the 6th, 25 posts of fake news (false manipulated information) about the novel coronavirus, judged to require corrective action such as deletion due to their severity, will be reviewed. This includes six posts reported by the Korea CDC, six identified through the committee’s focused monitoring, and 13 complaints submitted by the general public.

The fake news reported to the review committee is known to involve false information about additional confirmed cases, the appearance and movement routes of confirmed patients, and incorrect folk remedies related to novel coronavirus treatment. Even now, various internet sites are posting absurd fake news such as "Eating Chinese-made kimchi causes infection," "Applying sesame oil and cow dung cures it," and "You get infected if you make eye contact with an infected person."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

False rumors and misinformation related to infectious diseases can spread distorted news, increase public anxiety, and be exploited for profit, so the government’s policy is to strictly monitor them. Accordingly, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the novel coronavirus infection has established and is operating a fake news blocking support system in cooperation with the Korea Communications Commission, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the National Police Agency. When fake news occurs, the relevant site is immediately notified, and the review committee plans to hold emergency deliberations.

Meanwhile, the Communications Subcommittee scheduled for the 6th will be the third meeting related to fake news since the 'Wuhan pneumonia incident.' On January 30, the review committee took deletion action on four posts of 'novel coronavirus rumors' for the first time. A post containing a photo of a mask stained with blood and the Chinese flag, along with the content "There is a blood-stained mask in the mart restroom, where should I report it?" was deleted. The review committee deleted such information under Article 8 of the 'Regulations on Review of Information and Communications,' citing violation of good morals and other social order.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.