President Lee: "Spreading False Information That Harms the Public Is Not Freedom of Expression... Must Be Strictly Punished"

Police Identify 10 Suspects in "Forced Dollar Sale" Fake News Case
"Destroying Community Order, Even as a Prank or Game, Is a Serious Crime"
Public Praise for Police: "Maybe We Should Send Pizza to the Investigation Team"

On June 2, President Lee Jae-myung, upon hearing the news that the police had identified 10 individuals as suspects in the so-called "forced dollar sale" fake news case, stated, "Acts that deliberately spread false information and cause social disorder or economic damage must be thoroughly uncovered and strictly punished."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the senior secretaries meeting held at the Blue House on May 28, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

That day, President Lee shared a related article on his X (formerly Twitter) account, writing, "Spreading false information that harms the public is neither freedom of expression nor something that should be tolerated."

President Lee also emphasized that the dissemination of false information should not be dismissed as a "prank" or a "game." He remarked, "A prank? A game?" and criticized, "Just as killing someone or destroying the order and values of a community is a serious crime that must be severely punished, even if it was done as a prank or for fun, so too must the deliberate spread of falsehoods."

He added, "Maybe we ought to send a pizza to the hard-working police investigation team," simultaneously expressing his strong intent to punish those who disseminate false information and publicly encouraging the investigative team's efforts.

The police announced that they had identified 10 individuals as suspects in connection with the spread of fake news claiming that the government would force the sale of dollars as part of its response to the economic crisis originating in the Middle East. According to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, among the 10 identified individuals, six have completed suspect interviews, one military official has been transferred to the military, and the remaining three are awaiting investigation.

The controversy arose after discussions about the government's emergency fiscal and economic orders led to the spread of posts on some online platforms claiming that "the government will force the sale of dollars." Previously, the police had announced that they would not only identify the original posters of such messages but also track down those who were involved in the systematic dissemination of this information. Last month, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency also stated that they had identified the account holders of eight accounts responsible for spreading related false posts. At that time, the police explained that some investigations had been completed and that those holding military status were handed over to the military.

The Blue House and the government have consistently maintained a strict response policy, viewing the dissemination of false or manipulated information that causes social chaos and economic damage as unlawful acts beyond the realm of free expression.

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