Searching for "Japanese Territory" on Naver Shows Dokdo... Naver Takes Immediate Corrective Action

Naver's AI briefing displayed when searching for 'Japanese territory'. Facebook page of Seo Kyungduk

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It has been confirmed that when searching for "Japanese territory" on Naver, the largest portal site in South Korea, the results include Takeshima (Dokdo), as well as the Senkaku Islands and the Northern Territories. This is the response generated by Naver's AI briefing, which prioritizes and provides information similar to the search query.

On October 30, Seo Kyungduk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, reported this issue, stating that he learned about it through a tip from an internet user. When Professor Seo conducted the search himself, the response stated, "Japan's territory consists of Dokdo (Takeshima), the Northern Territories, and the Senkaku Islands." Upon checking the source of this statement, it was found to be from materials provided by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Professor Seo has consistently raised objections because most AI developed overseas, including ChatGPT, describe Dokdo as a disputed area. However, he emphasized that it is unacceptable for Naver, the leading domestic portal, not to have verified such results on an issue of national importance.

Professor Seo Kyungduk stated, "Naver must correct this as soon as possible, especially to prevent misunderstandings about Dokdo among international users," adding, "In order for both domestic and international AI to provide accurate answers about Dokdo, it is essential to continuously disseminate precise multilingual information about Dokdo worldwide."

A Naver representative responded, "We took swift action as soon as we became aware of the issue, and we will continue to closely monitor and improve the service so that the AI briefing is generated based on search results that are more appropriate to the query."

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