Surge in Election Campaign 'Deepfake Posts' Violations... Expected to Exceed Presidential Election Numbers

Number of Deletion Requests Surpasses 10,300
921 Apprehended for Black Propaganda... Daily Average Reaches 12.5
All Relevant Agencies Mobilized for Removal and Blocking of Fake News

As the June 3 local elections approach, violations involving the use of deepfakes in election campaigns have surged. The number of requests to delete deepfake-related posts has surpassed 10,300, and it is expected to exceed the total number recorded during the last presidential election period (10,510).

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety held an inter-agency working-level meeting on countering false and fake news at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 28th, presided over by Vice Minister Kim Minjae.

With just six days left until the local elections, this meeting was convened to review the current state of false and fake news that threaten rational public decision-making and to reinforce efforts for real-time removal of such content.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of election campaign violations involving black propaganda and deepfakes has been consistently increasing.

As of the previous day, a total of 921 individuals had been apprehended for alleged black propaganda activities, including the dissemination of false and fake news. This figure represents an increase of 550 people since the first meeting of the Ministers on Fair Elections, held 50 days before the election, resulting in a daily average of 12.5 apprehensions.

Requests to delete election campaign violation posts using deepfakes are also rapidly increasing. According to data provided to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety by the National Election Commission, the number of deletion requests had reached 10,319 as of the previous day.

This figure is almost equivalent to the total number of deletion requests (10,510) during the 21st presidential election period. Given that this figure is from one week before election day, it is expected that the number of deletion requests for this election will surpass that of the previous presidential election.

Kim Minjae, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is discussing the status of false and fake news responses by each agency and future response measures at the "Intergovernmental Task Force on False and Fake News Response" working-level meeting held on the afternoon of the 28th at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated, "Recognizing the gravity of this situation, we are taking measures such as detecting and deleting fake news, filing complaints, and conducting investigations, through cooperation with relevant agencies including the National Police Agency and the Korea Communications Commission."

The Korea Communications Commission plans to operate a "public-private joint self-regulation consultative body" so that platform operators can swiftly delete fake news and block user access until the local elections are concluded.

The police have raised their response to election-related crimes to the highest level since the 14th. They are responding strictly, focusing investigations on online media outlets that spread malicious false and fake news.

Vice Minister Kim stated, "Fake news is a crime that denies democracy and an obstacle to social integration. We will respond swiftly and sternly through close cooperation among relevant agencies until the elections are over."

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