Police identify individual responsible for fabricated video of South Korean president

By Kuksung Nam, The Readable
Apr. 9, 2024 8:20PM GMT+9

On Monday, the South Korean police disclosed that they have identified the individual allegedly responsible for creating a misleading video featuring South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. This announcement comes over a month after the police initiated their investigation into both the creator and distributor of the deceptive content.

Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police, announced in a press briefing that a South Korean man in his fifties is under investigation for violating the country’s information and communications law by defaming the president. In addition to the creator of the content, the police have identified nine individuals accused of disseminating the fabricated video online. The investigation into both the creator and the distributors of the misleading video commenced following a complaint received last February.

The commissioner pointed out that the suspect admitted to creating the fake video. According to the authorities, the individual manipulated various clips of the president from his 2022 presidential campaign, altering the original statements from “Inside my dictionary, there is the word public welfare. However, there is no such word as political retaliation,” to a fabricated version that stated, “Inside my dictionary, there is the word political retaliation. However, there is no such word as public welfare.” The misleading content was posted in 22 instances on TikTok and Instagram before being removed from the platforms last March.

The South Korean police disclosed that the alleged creator of the fake video was employed by one of the country’s political parties. This information emerged in response to inquiries from the local press about whether the suspect was a registered member of any political party. While the police withheld details such as the name of the political organization, local media later reported that the suspect worked for the Rebuilding Korea Party. The party’s spokesperson, Kim Bo-hyeop, confirmed in a statement that the suspect, identified only by the last name Lee, was affiliated with a regional branch of the party. However, Kim emphasized that the party was unaware of Lee’s actions, asserting that they were carried out prior to his association with the organization.

“Lee created the video in question last November, whereas the party leader announced the formation of the new party on February 13,” the spokesperson explained. Kim also noted that the party is currently in the process of dismissing the worker under suspicion.

The South Korean police are investigating whether the video was produced using deepfake technology. An official from the Seoul Metropolitan Police explained to The Readable, “If the content was fabricated using artificial intelligence technology, it could be classified as a deepfake. However, only the creator can confirm the use of AI with certainty. Further investigation into the suspect is required to determine the involvement of AI technology.”

nam@thereadable.co

The cover image of this article was designed by Areum Hwang. This article was copyedited by Arthur Gregory Willers.

Kuksung Nam is a journalist for The Readable. She has extensively traversed the globe to cover the latest stories on the cyber threat landscape and has been producing in-depth stories on security and privacy by engaging with industry giants, foreign government officials and experts. Before joining The Readable, Kuksung reported on politics for one of South Korea’s top-five local newspapers, The Kyeongin Ilbo. Her journalistic skills and reportage earned her the coveted Journalists Association of Korea award in 2021 for her essay detailing exclusive stories about the misconduct of a former government official. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in French from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, a testament to her linguistic capabilities.