Online Disinformation Rampant Ahead of South Korea Election; Poll Finds Most Use YouTube as Primary News Source

By Kazusa Yoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

20:00 JST, April 21, 2025

SEOUL — Disinformation and slander posted by conservatives and leftists in South Korea are rampant on social media ahead of the June 3 presidential election triggered by Yoon Suk Yeol’s dismissal.

Social media is the primary source of information for many South Koreans today and has become a key battleground in elections. It is feared that the spread of false information will distort public opinion and deepen divisions among the country’s people.

Deepfakes

An AI-generated deepfake video of former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in a clown costume, grinning wickedly in jail, was widely shared on TikTok. Such fake videos defaming Lee have been posted one after another on the platform.

Lee’s camp submitted a complaint against 17 individuals to the police on Wednesday, including the creators of the deepfake and conservative YouTubers who spread it online.

Lee headed the largest left-leaning opposition party and is a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election, holding the top spot in various public opinion polls. Disinformation and defamatory remarks aimed at discrediting Lee have been seen a great deal on social media.

Attacks on Yoon continue

Since Yoon declared martial law in December, extreme comments from both conservative and left-wing camps have swirled on social media, fueling social division.

Conservative YouTubers claim that the Constitutional Court is leaking information to the Democratic Party on Yoon’s impeachment, while left-wing groups have accused the court of deliberately delaying its ruling.

YouTubers tend to seek high viewership by sharing sensational information. The higher their viewership, the more Super Chats — or paid messages — they receive from viewers. Some YouTubers have earned up to 150 million won, or ¥15 million, per month.

Public interest waned after Yoon’s removal, and YouTubers have spread conspiracy theories trying to keep viewers hooked on the subject. Many of them target Yoon through such means as showing fake videos of Yoon and his wife hugging each other as they sob. With multiple conservative candidates vying for the presidential election, Yoon — who retains significant influence — appears to be a target for the left.

Since the general election last spring, the spread of content from a fake-news generating site has become an issue in South Korea. The site allows anyone to use AI to easily create screens that resemble breaking news from real media outlets, and numerous fake news stories are produced daily.

This month saw such false claims as “Lee Jae-myung attacked at home” or “Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment invalidated.” Those responsible may face charges of defamation depending on the content, but the operation of the website itself is not considered illegal.

Shift in media power

Since democratization in the 1980s, South Korea has been divided between conservative and left-wing supporters.

Left-leaning newspapers and TV stations promote views aligned with certain political parties, while conservative newspapers also criticize conservative governments out of concern for public opinion. As a result, existing media have lost the public’s trust, distancing themselves from their audience. The spread of smartphones, on the other hand, has popularized accessible, sensational social media content.

A report from the Korea Press Foundation last year showed that 60.1% of respondents used YouTube as their primary news source. Among those who obtain news through social media, 38.7% went to official channels operated by newspapers or broadcasters, while 20.3% went to channels operated by individuals or other entities.