South Korea Grapples with Deluge of Election Misinformation
South Korea’s upcoming presidential election has been marred by a surge in online misinformation, raising concerns about the integrity of the democratic process. False claims targeting both leading candidates have proliferated across social media platforms, exploiting anxieties about foreign influence and manipulating public opinion.
The proliferation of fake news has become a major concern in the lead-up to Tuesday’s election, as voters prepare to choose a new leader following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The online landscape has been flooded with misleading information, often amplified by social media algorithms and partisan actors.
Much of the disinformation campaign revolves around themes of foreign interference, playing on existing public anxieties about China’s influence and the United States’ role in Korean politics. False narratives have emerged suggesting Chinese manipulation of the overseas voting system, with claims that foreign nationals are using email addresses to cast fraudulent ballots. These allegations, debunked by fact-checking organizations, aim to sow distrust in the electoral process and undermine public confidence.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, the frontrunner in the election, has become a frequent target of disinformation. False claims about his alleged allegiance to Beijing have been widely circulated, exploiting a long-standing conservative narrative that portrays progressive candidates as sympathetic to China. Doctored images depicting Lee bowing to a Mao Zedong statue and wearing a mask with the Chinese flag have been debunked, yet they continue to circulate online, potentially influencing voter perceptions. Experts suggest that this focus on China reflects shifting geopolitical concerns, as US-China tensions intensify and the focus of public anxiety shifts from North Korea to China.
Conservative candidates have also been targeted by disinformation campaigns, albeit with a different focus. Fabricated images purporting to show endorsements from former US President Donald Trump have circulated online, aiming to bolster the credibility of conservative candidates and appeal to voters aligned with the US. One popular right-wing YouTuber even falsely claimed that the Pentagon had endorsed a specific candidate, a claim quickly refuted by US Forces Korea. Despite being demonstrably false, these narratives can be persuasive, especially in a polarized political climate where they tap into existing anxieties and reinforce pre-existing biases.
The use of artificial intelligence to generate deepfake videos has added another layer of complexity to the misinformation landscape. A recent deepfake video purportedly showed Lee Jae-myung ending a hunger strike and joking about eating fried chicken. This video, shared widely within right-wing online communities, was generated using AI manipulation techniques, exploiting a real photograph of Lee in a hospital bed. While the video was debunked, it successfully reinforced a pre-existing narrative that sought to undermine the legitimacy of Lee’s protest and portray him as insincere. Experts warn that AI-generated misinformation poses a significant threat to democracy, as it becomes increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect, potentially eroding public trust in authentic information.
Beyond fabricated images and deepfakes, misinformation campaigns have also targeted pre-election polling data. Manipulated graphics misrepresenting poll results to show conservative candidates leading have circulated online, misleading voters about the true state of the race. In some cases, older polling data was presented as current, with key details like the dates of the surveys deliberately omitted to deceive viewers. These tactics further contribute to a climate of confusion and distrust surrounding the election, making it more challenging for voters to make informed decisions based on accurate information. As South Koreans head to the polls, the pervasive nature of misinformation underscores the urgent need for critical media literacy and robust fact-checking initiatives to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.