Special Response Team for False Information Disclosure and Slander Formed
387 Cases Detected During Last Year’s April 10 General Election Period
The National Election Commission (NEC) has deployed a large-scale workforce to crack down on deepfake false content using artificial intelligence (AI) technology ahead of the June 3 presidential election. The plan is to focus on deliberately negative posts such as fake videos targeting major presidential candidates that could influence the election, as well as slander and personal attacks.
According to the NEC on the 15th, an internal "Special Response Team for False Information Disclosure and Slander" was recently formed to manage the election. They began full-scale monitoring work on the 9th and will continue operations until the election day on June 3. Including the Special Response Team and the "Cyber Fair Election Support Teams" operated by the election commissions of each of the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, the NEC’s own workforce monitoring deepfake false content reaches about 500 people.
They identify and immediately request blocking and deletion of fake videos distributed mainly on large online communities. The primary targets are false deepfake videos that could influence presidential candidates and the election. They also crack down on content posted with the intent of repeated slander and defamation. An NEC official said, "After comprehensively judging the intentionality and other suspicions regarding related posts, we conduct internal investigations, and if we determine there is suspicion, we can respond with complaints and accusations."
The reason the NEC is deploying a large workforce to crack down during the presidential election period is the judgment that deepfake content, whose authenticity is difficult to verify due to the popularization of generative AI, could directly affect the election. In fact, on the 26th of last month, a deepfake video showing former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung locked in a police station detention cell was posted on a video platform, causing controversy. Fake videos mocking former Daegu Mayor and People Power Party presidential candidate Hong Jun-pyo and former leader Han Dong-hoon also rapidly spread mainly on major communities.
According to the NEC, during the April 10 general election period last year, from January 29 to April 9, a total of 387 deepfake posts were detected. The National Assembly amended Article 82-8 of the Public Official Election Act in December 2023 to prohibit the production, editing, distribution, screening, or posting of deepfake videos from 90 days before the election day until the election day itself. Violations are punishable by up to seven years in prison or fines ranging from 10 million to 50 million won, but deepfake videos continue to be produced and distributed.
Despite the NEC’s independent crackdowns, the lack of immediate deletion and sanction authority is pointed out as a limitation. The primary authority for deleting false videos lies with the respective communities. Choi Jun-seon, honorary professor at Sungkyunkwan University Law School, said, "The problem of being unable to make correct judgments due to fake news about recent deepfake false videos is growing," adding, "It is especially necessary to strongly enforce crackdowns and punishments during specific periods such as elections."
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