[Comprehensive] "No Negative Response" 'Rodong Sinmun' Gominjeong Composite Distribution Controversy

Candidate Go Minjung's Face Falsely Combined in North Korea's 'Rodong Sinmun'
Claim That Go Was Leader of Pro-Juche Student Club in University Days
Go's Campaign: "No Negative Response, Ridiculous Fake News"

An image of Go Min-jung, the Democratic Party candidate running for Seoul Gwangjin-eul in the 21st general election, photoshopped into North Korea's party newspaper 'Rodong Sinmun'. Photo by Online Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Regarding the synthetic image of Democratic Party candidate Ko Min-jeong, who ran for Seoul Gwangjin-eul in the April 15 general election, being circulated with her face superimposed on the North Korean Workers' Party Central Committee's official newspaper 'Rodong Sinmun,' Ko's campaign team dismissed it, saying, "It is not worth responding to negativity."

Negativity refers to various slanderous remarks or actions targeting a specific candidate during election campaigns. It is characterized by baseless rumors and irresponsible statements such as "it doesn't matter if it's not true."

Gamin-gyeong, the public relations team leader, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 9th, "There have been numerous baseless slanders against the candidate in the past as well, not just this issue," and emphasized, "Our position is not to respond to negativity with negativity." This means they will not engage in the same level of disputes over recurring issues during the election period such as 'black propaganda,' 'fake news,' and 'colorism.'

Team leader Ga dismissed the matter, saying, "The content is completely untrue and so absurd that it is not worth commenting on."

On the previous day (the 9th), a synthetic image claiming that Ko was active in a North Korea Juche ideology-oriented activist club during her university days was circulated on an online community.

The image was posted in a KakaoTalk group chat and was designed in the style of the North Korean official newspaper 'Rodong Sinmun.' Ko's face was placed on the newspaper. Below the face, it read, "For the national liberation of Gwangjin-eul."

It continued, "Candidate Ko was active in the activist club 'Small Pond,' a Minjung song group with a pro-Juche (NL) orientation during her time at Kyung Hee University Suwon Campus, and even served as its president. Ko Min-jeong says she still wants to be someone like a Minjung song singer. She is indeed a talent that Comrade Lim Jong-seok cannot help but support!"

Notably, the synthetic image also contained content about President Moon Jae-in. The 'Rodong Sinmun' image included the phrase, "The revolutionary achievements of the great leader Comrade Moon Jae-in will shine forever along with the victorious advance of socialist South Korea."

On the morning of the 2nd, the official start date of the April 15 general election campaign, Go Mi-jeong, the Democratic Party candidate for Gwangjin-eul, appealed for support from citizens at Jayang Intersection in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. On the right is Im Jong-seok, former Chief of Staff to the President, who came out to support the campaign.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

There is also a claim that the reason former Blue House Chief of Staff Lim Jong-seok supports candidate Ko is because both share roots as activists from the 'Jusapa' (Juche ideology) movement.

Citizens who saw the synthetic image expressed confusion. A 30-year-old office worker, Mr. A, who did not disclose whom he supports, said, "I don't know who would believe something like this these days," and added, "One thing is certain: it doesn't seem to have any negative impact on candidate Ko's side."

Another 20-year-old university student, Ms. B, pointed out, "I don't even understand what it means when I see it; I just think it's pathetic." A 40-year-old office worker, Mr. C, said, "There is still this kind of colorism," and added, "It's a remnant of the bad old adults from the past. It's shameful."

Meanwhile, on the early voting day for the 21st general election today (the 10th), the National Election Commission announced that as of 9 a.m., the turnout rate was 1.51%, the highest for early voting nationwide at the same time.

According to the Election Commission, out of 43,994,247 registered voters, 662,912 had voted in early voting that began at 6 a.m. today.

The region with the highest early voting rate was Jeonnam at 2.47%, and the lowest was Daegu at 1.13%.

Early voting will take place over two days, from today until the 11th. A total of 3,508 polling stations have been set up nationwide. Voting hours are from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and voters must bring identification.

All voters will disinfect their hands with the provided sanitizer and wear disposable plastic gloves before voting. Early voting locations can be checked on the Election Commission's website or by calling the representative number (1390).

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