Prime Minister Kim: "Ahead of the Election, Fake News Using AI Will Be Severely Punished to the Fullest Extent of the Law"

Prime Minister Minseok Kim stated on the 14th, "During this election period, the government will strictly punish fake news that exploits artificial intelligence (AI) to the fullest extent permitted by law, as a measure to set a stern example."

Prime Minister Minseok Kim delivered a public statement regarding the 9th simultaneous local elections on the 14th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. From left, Minister of Justice Seongho Jung, Prime Minister Kim, and Minister of the Interior and Safety Hojung Yoon. April 14, 2026 Photo by uwg806, Yonhap News Agency

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Prime Minister Kim made these remarks during a public statement regarding the 9th simultaneous local elections at the Government Seoul Office in the afternoon. He emphasized that, under the Public Official Election Act, deepfake election videos created using AI are prohibited starting 90 days before the election, and stressed, "The government will never turn a blind eye to this issue." The statement was attended by Hojung Yoon, Minister of the Interior and Safety, and Seongho Jung, Minister of Justice.

Prime Minister Kim expressed concern, saying, "The rapid advancement of generative AI technology is fundamentally changing the election environment. Scenes that never happened are being reproduced as if they were real, and statements that were never made are being created and spread as if they were actual voices, seriously threatening the fairness of elections." He added, "The acceleration of dissemination through one-person media, social networking services, and online platforms is making the problem even more complex and serious. This is not only an attack against specific candidates, but also an act that undermines public trust in the election system itself and poses a grave threat to the very foundation of democracy."

Prime Minister Kim further stated, "In addition to the spread of fake news, we will also handle the five major election crimes-bribery, election violence, and public officials' interference in elections-with a principle of zero tolerance, enforcing strict and resolute measures." He emphasized, "Since election crimes are subject to a short six-month statute of limitations, we will process cases swiftly and thoroughly, ensuring that those found guilty of such crimes are held fully accountable."

He also called on election candidates, saying, "Remember that campaigning based on false information and negative propaganda is a deception of voters and an act that damages democracy itself."

Minister of Justice Seongho Jung commented, "Political parties across the spectrum are currently undergoing primary processes, and there have already been several cases recently investigated for deepfakes created using AI. Compared to the local elections four years ago, negative propaganda has increased by about 50%." He continued, "The National Forensic Service, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, has developed a program that can immediately identify deepfake videos. Once detected, the election commission, police, and prosecutors have established a system to take immediate action and delete such content."

Minister of the Interior and Safety Hojung Yoon stated, "Regardless of whether there is a label indicating AI-generated or deepfake content, election campaigns using AI are illegal under election law. Furthermore, if the content contains false information, it is also subject to simultaneous punishment for the crime of spreading false information."

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