Hwaseong City to Respond to Pseudo-Media with 'Zero-Tolerance Policy'

Request for Investigation of Outlets Disseminating False and Misleading Information
Civil and Criminal Actions to Follow

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province has declared a zero-tolerance policy against the dissemination of false and misleading information by pseudo-media outlets and will pursue both civil and criminal actions.

The city announced on July 7 that, following recent legal consultations with its advisory attorneys, it has decided to take strong action against the habitual spread of false and misleading information. This includes acts such as maliciously defaming individual public officials or spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the administration as a whole, all under the guise of news reporting, based solely on 'anonymous tips' or 'hearsay' without objective data or concrete evidence.

A city official added, "Such actions not only damage the reputation of Hwaseong City and its public officials, but also infringe upon citizens' constitutional right to know, undermine public trust in fair administration by fostering distrust among citizens, and constitute illegal acts that seriously harm the city's credibility. These are criminal acts that violate the public interest."

The city further explained that, "If the dissemination of false and misleading information is carried out in parallel with attempts to intervene in interests related to the awarding of public contracts, such acts may constitute criminal offenses of extortion and obstruction of business under the Criminal Act." The city is currently pursuing a multifaceted legal response, including requesting investigations, filing criminal complaints, and seeking civil damages.

Cho Seunghyun, spokesperson for Hwaseong City, stated, "Distinguishing between 'true media,' which upholds objectivity and neutrality as its guiding principles, and 'pseudo-media' is a demonstration of respect and honor for journalism, and a duty for public officials responsible for media affairs. It is the role of judicial authorities to crack down on the actions of pseudo-media outlets that undermine journalism and disrupt public order, as this is the way to guarantee the constitutional freedom of the press and to safeguard the values of democracy."