Daegu Police Agency, Netizen Booked for Spreading Fake News on 'President Vaccine Swap'

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] A netizen who raised suspicions of 'vaccine swapping' related to President Moon Jae-in's COVID-19 vaccination through an online community has been booked by the police.

On the 8th, the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency booked one netizen who posted false information on the far-right site 'Ilgan Best' community, headquartered in Daegu, on charges of obstruction of official duties by deception.

Earlier, on the 24th of last month, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency requested an investigation, stating that the fake news titled 'President Moon's syringe swapping' posted on an online community the previous day caused public anxiety.

At that time, some online communities such as 'Ilbe' posted messages regarding President Moon's vaccination, suggesting that "the syringe with the cap open was used to draw the vaccine, then after going behind the partition, a syringe with the cap closed appeared."

The police judged that the allegation obstructed the health center's work, as after the post was made online, the Jongno District Health Center received protest calls related to the vaccine, and the next day, cases of vaccination cancellations followed.

Regarding this post, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency explained, "During vaccination, the syringe needle was recapped and then uncapped just before injection to prevent contamination of the needle during the busy preparation time after transferring the vaccine to each syringe."

A police official stated, "We recently summoned the poster to confirm the charges, and for the remaining seven posts, investigations are either ongoing or concluded. We are also reviewing whether to apply charges for defamation due to the dissemination of false information."