Strict Response to False and Fake News Ahead of Elections... Full Pan-Government Mobilization

Deleting Fake News from Platforms... Intensive Cleanup of Illegal Advertisements
Ministry of Education Strengthens Digital Media Literacy Education... Cooperation with Election Commission

Ahead of the June 3 local elections, the government is mobilizing the full capabilities of all ministries to respond to false and fake news that threaten the fairness of the electoral process.

On May 8, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held a meeting of the "Pan-Governmental Fake News Response Council" at the Government Seoul Office, chaired by Minister Yoon Hojung. This meeting was a follow-up to ministerial meetings held in February and April, and the government plans to operate the council every week until election day to strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation.

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is presiding over the meeting of the Fake News Response Council held on the afternoon of the 8th at the Government Seoul Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and delivering the opening remarks. Photo by Ministry of the Interior and Safety

The council was established out of concerns that, with the election approaching, false and fake news continue to circulate through various online platforms and social media, which could seriously undermine the public's ability to exercise their voting rights based on informed judgment.

Attendees at the meeting, chaired by Minister Yoon, included vice-ministerial level officials from key agencies such as the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Police Agency. Each institution reviewed its response measures and discussed effective actions going forward.

The government is operating a comprehensive barrier against false and fake news that goes beyond the jurisdiction of individual ministries. The Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission is running a "public-private joint self-regulation council" until election day to swiftly remove false and fake news from online platforms and block access. The commission will regularly monitor the council's activities and encourage platform operators to take proactive measures to block such content.

Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety began an intensive cleanup of illegal advertisements on May 4, which is 30 days ahead of the election. In cooperation with local governments, banners violating the "Election Advertisement Management Guidelines" (implemented on April 15), the Public Official Election Act, or the Outdoor Advertisement Act are being immediately removed. By March, more than 30,000 illegal banners had already been cleared.

Furthermore, special joint inspection teams with city and provincial governments are being operated. Any public official found to be posting or disseminating false or fake news, or intervening in the election, will be subject to strict punishment regardless of intent.

The prosecution and the police have designated false and fake news, negative campaigning, bribery, and public official election interference as key election crimes that threaten fair elections, and are actively investigating these issues. In particular, the authorities are taking a zero-tolerance approach to the organized and repeated dissemination of false and fake news, ensuring that heavy sentences are imposed.

The Ministry of Education is strengthening digital media literacy education to counter the spread of manipulated information through social media. In cooperation with the National Election Commission, the ministry is also conducting "New Voter Education" for 400,000 high school students, providing information on election procedures and political laws.

The National Election Commission has established a special response team to address deepfakes, the dissemination of false information, and slander. The commission is working in real time with the government to share information and, in cases of serious legal violations, referring matters to law enforcement agencies, thereby maintaining a cooperative system.

Minister Yoon stated, "The government will thoroughly track and respond sternly to the organized and malicious spread of false and fake news. We will continue close pan-government cooperation until election day to ensure that this local election is conducted more fairly and transparently than ever before."

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