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

Minister of the Interior and Safety Hochung Yoon:
"Election Campaigns Using AI Are Illegal
Regardless of Whether They Are Labeled as Such"

Prime Minister Minseok Kim stated on April 14, "The government will strictly punish the use of AI (artificial intelligence) to generate fake news during the election period to the fullest extent permitted by law, as a stern warning."

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

Prime Minister Kim made these remarks during a public statement regarding the 9th simultaneous local elections held at the Government Seoul Office that afternoon. He reminded the public that, under the Public Official Election Act, the use of AI-generated deepfake election videos is banned starting from 90 days before the election, and emphasized, "The government will never turn a blind eye to this issue." Minister of the Interior and Safety Hojung Yoon and Minister of Justice Seongho Jung were present at the announcement.

Prime Minister Kim expressed concern, saying, "The rapid development of generative AI technology is fundamentally changing the election environment." He warned, "Scenes that never happened can be reproduced as if real, and statements that were never made can be distributed as though they are authentic audio, which poses a serious threat to the fairness of elections." He went on to say, "The accelerated spread of such materials through one-person media, social networking services, and online platforms is making the problem even more complex and severe. This is not only an attack on specific candidates but an act that undermines public trust in the electoral system itself and a grave threat to the very foundation of democracy."

Prime Minister Kim also stressed, "We will enforce a zero-tolerance policy not only for the dissemination of fake news, but also for the five major election crimes, including bribery, election violence, and interference by public officials in elections, dealing with them strictly and resolutely." He added, "Since election crimes are subject to a short six-month statute of limitations, we will respond swiftly and thoroughly, and ensure that anyone caught is held fully accountable."

He also urged election candidates, "Please remember that election campaigns relying on false information and smear tactics are a betrayal of voters and an act that damages democracy itself."

Minister of Justice Seongho Jung commented, "Both ruling and opposition parties are undergoing primary procedures, and recently, there have been several cases of deepfakes using AI that have led to criminal investigations." He revealed, "Compared to the local elections four years ago, smear campaigns have increased by about 50%." He further explained, "The National Forensic Service, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, has developed a program that can immediately verify deepfake videos. Once verified, the National Election Commission, police, and prosecutors are able to take immediate action and remove the content."

Minister of the Interior and Safety Hojung Yoon stated, "Regardless of whether content is marked as being generated by deepfake or AI, election campaigns using AI are illegal under election law. Moreover, if the content includes false information, those responsible can also be prosecuted for spreading false information."

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