President Lee Jae-myung on Saturday stressed that police must "swiftly investigate and ensure this never happens again," targeting those spreading "false information" amid the government's response to the Middle East war.
Presiding over a Cabinet meeting at Cheongwadae, the presidential residence, Lee said such acts "constitute serious crimes as they disrupt social order and obstruct efforts to overcome a national crisis."
Addressing the recent hoarding of pay-as-you-throw garbage bags, the president pointed out that "people are saying to stock up because garbage bag prices will rise, but the production cost is only a few won." He explained that "charging 200 won is a kind of tax set by local ordinance to cover administrative processing costs." He added that "even if production costs doubled, it would not affect the final retail price, and local governments cannot raise prices just because of a shortfall." He concluded, "There is no need to hoard them."
Lee then said "spreading such false rumors is malicious," directing police to "find the person who first spread the rumors and take stern, swift action."
He specifically addressed claims that "900,000 barrels of crude oil went to North Korea due to a mishandling of oil purchase priority rights," calling them "extremely malicious false rumors." Lee said he hoped "police will swiftly investigate, identify exactly who is doing this, and make sure it never happens again."
"It is unacceptable to inflict pain or obstruct by spreading bizarre fake news," he said, adding sharply, "Politics should have its limits — isn't this just another thing they do in the name of politics?"