Lee Jae-myung Targets Fake News "Must Eradicate It by Any Means"

"Is KakaoTalk a Sanctuary for Fake News?"
Mentioning the May 18 Democratic Uprising, "Fake News Causes Great Harm"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated that the party will mobilize all its capabilities to eradicate fake news and hold those who spread it accountable.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

On the 13th, during the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Lee said, "A democratic republic stands properly when its sovereign citizens have accurate information and make accurate judgments," adding, "If distorted by false information, the judgment of the sovereign citizens becomes clouded, and the democratic republic collapses." He continued, "Accurate information is necessary for democracy to stand upright. That is why we protect the press," and pointed out, "Taking advantage of this gap, villains who spread all kinds of fake news and obscure the truth stand before the world as if they were righteous people."

He also addressed the recent 'KakaoTalk censorship controversy' that has sparked disputes between ruling and opposition parties. Lee criticized, "Is KakaoTalk a sanctuary for fake news?" He added, "Even at this moment, shamelessly in KakaoTalk group chats, there are claims that my father, who passed away decades ago, killed several people while engaging in communist activities, or that he ran away after not paying for cigarettes. Are we going to leave that unchecked?"

Lee shared his personal experience related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising. He said, "Although I did not directly participate in the perpetration during the May 18 Democratic Uprising, I was involved in secondary harm for several years. I called the innocent people who died in the May 18 Democratic Uprising 'rioters' with my own mouth," adding, "The reason is simple. I was deceived by fake news." He emphasized, "The victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising were labeled as rioters linked to North Korean forces at the time. It was only when I went to university that I learned the truth," and continued, "After realizing the truth and changing the course of my life, I understood from the victims' suffering how great the harm caused by fake news is."

Lee stated, "People who make wrong judgments because they are deceived by fake news are also victims," and said, "Fake news is the enemy of democracy. We must eradicate it by any means necessary." He also declared, "The Democratic Party will mobilize all its capabilities to strictly hold accountable those who disturb the order of this country by relying on fake news and will definitely expel them from society."