[2025 Audit] Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers Clash Over AI Fake Audio... Science Committee Audit Temporarily Suspended

Recess Declared Just 1 Hour and 15 Minutes After Audit Began

The first national audit since Baek Kyunghoon was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Technology was disrupted and recessed just 1 hour and 15 minutes after it began.

On the 13th, the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee's national audit is being conducted at the Government Sejong Complex. Photo by Noh Kyungjo

On the 13th, Choi Minhee, Chairperson of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee, declared a recess at around 11:15 a.m. during the audit held at the Government Sejong Complex. The cause was a heated argument between Kim Jangkyum of the People Power Party and Kim Hyun of the Democratic Party.

Assemblyman Kim Jangkyum pointed out the dangers of "artificial intelligence (AI) fake news" and asked Deputy Prime Minister Baek, "Have there been any meetings for joint response, such as establishing a dedicated department or inter-ministerial collaboration protocols?"

He went on to say, "With the local elections coming up next year, AI-generated fake news will become even more rampant. If you look at the Kim Daeup case, the Cheongdam-dong drinking party case, and the Jo Heedae oppression case, you see transcripts emerging. Recordings created using AI are not something to be taken lightly." He also mentioned that former Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairperson Lee Choonseok was recently caught conducting stock trades in the National Assembly and is now under investigation.

Assemblyman Kim Jangkyum then said, "To raise awareness, I have prepared a fake video," and played an audio file. The altered audio included lines such as, "I heard the two met in Yeouido around the end of July," "Were they originally acquainted?" "Well, I'm not sure about that," "Lee Choonseok was on the National Planning Committee at that time, right? He was briefed on the government's AI projects and seemed very interested," and "Oh, so with Baek Kyunghoon?"-all spoken as if it were a conversation between two people.

This caused murmurs from the Democratic Party side, prompting Assemblyman Kim Jangkyum to say, "Assemblyman Kim Hyun, please be quiet. Someone else is asking questions." When Assemblyman Kim Hyun replied, "I was just sitting quietly," Kim Jangkyum raised his voice, saying, "You were just sitting there? Don't talk to yourself so others can hear."

As lawmakers from both parties tried to mediate, sarcasm and protests continued, and with the shouting escalating, Chairperson Choi suspended the audit. The disrupted session resumed after about 40 minutes, and after Assemblyman Kim Jangkyum finished his questioning, another recess was declared with a promise to resume at 2 p.m.