Police: "Strict Response Including Enhanced Monitoring Against Fake News on COVID-19 Confirmed Cases"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have warned that acts of spreading fake news by falsely inflating the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are occurring, exploiting the increase in confirmed cases.

The Cyber Safety Bureau of the National Police Agency announced on the 19th, "We will strengthen monitoring of the spread of false information related to COVID-19 in cooperation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and will firmly respond by tracking producers and distributors to the end and taking legal action."

On the previous day, false information claiming that the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases had exceeded 400 was shared on internet communities and social networking services (SNS).

The police stated, "If illegal acts such as spreading false information are discovered, we ask that you actively report them to the police, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, local governments, and other related agencies."