South Korean prosecutors and police announced a joint crackdown on election-related crimes involving artificial intelligence-generated fake news ahead of the June local elections.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office and National Police Agency issued a joint statement on countermeasures against AI-enabled disinformation at the Government Complex Seoul on Monday. The announcement follows a cabinet-level meeting on fake news response held the same day.
"Spreading false information and conducting smear campaigns are serious election crimes that directly affect voters' fair judgment by providing them with wrong information," said Koo Ja-hyun, Acting Prosecutor General. "We will utilize all investigative techniques including forensic science to thoroughly uncover such crimes, and will pursue perpetrators using overseas servers through international judicial cooperation."
The prosecution will also intensify penalties for bribery-related election offenses. Koo emphasized that authorities are targeting the spread of disinformation and smear campaigns, election-related bribery, illegal election interference by public officials, and election-related violence.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office established dedicated election investigation units at all levels of prosecution offices last month and activated emergency communication networks. Nationwide meetings of senior prosecutors in charge of election crimes are being held to discuss response measures and share investigative expertise.
Police have also formed dedicated election crime investigation units at all police stations nationwide since the 3rd of this month, conducting intensive crackdowns on organized disinformation campaigns using automated programs. These efforts have resulted in 110 arrests with 6 detained, while 199 cases remain under investigation. Police have also requested the deletion or blocking of 1,074 pieces of harmful content including criminal recruitment posts.
"False and manipulated information is not an individual problem but a crime that undermines trust across society," said Yoo Jae-sung, Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency. "Police will respect freedom of expression while responding firmly to false and manipulated information that causes social confusion, in accordance with law and principles."